Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Britain's foreign secretary, was named British prime minister on October 19, 1963, the day after Harold Macmillan tendered his resignation. The first peer to lead Britain since 1902, he disclaimed his title of earl of Home in order to take a seat in the House of Commons. In foreign policy, Prime Minister Douglas-Home continued a policy of cautious detente with the Soviet Union, while supporting the development of British nuclear weapons. On February 13, 1964, he was heard defending Britain's limited trade with Fidel Castro's Cuba. In economic affairs, the former Scottish earl was seen as out of touch with ordinary citizens, and he failed to achieve the full support of the divided Conservative party. In the general election held in October 1964, the Conservatives were defeated by the Labour Party under Harold Wilson, and Douglas-Home was forced to resign as prime minister. He later served as foreign secretary under Edward Heath and in 1974 returned to the House...