Iain Hamilton

Iain Bertram Hamilton (3 February 1920 - 15 July 1986) was an author and journalist who was editor of The Spectator 1962-63. Later he was involved in the CIA propaganda operation Forum World Features, as well as the affiliated Institute for the Study of Conflict.

Journalism

Hamilton worked at the Daily Record from 1944–45 and then The Guardian, 1945–52. He joined The Spectator in 1952 and held various editorial positions until his appointment as editor in 1962. He was unexpectedly removed from this post by the magazine's proprietor in 1963, causing protest amongst his staff.

Supporting the Vietnam War

In 1967 Hamilton was one of ten signatories of a letter to The Times backing U.S. Policies in Vietnam. The letter stated that much of the criticism “represents the impact of suspect information upon uncritical minds; and much of it, coming from conformist protestors.” It referred to “Anti-American propaganda and added that, “The organisers of and participators in this vast, though ill-aimed, propaganda barrage should not deceive themselves into imagining that they have silence the voices of reason”.

The other signatories were Kingsley Amis, John Braine, Robert Conquest, Edmund Crispin, Anthony Hartley, Bernard Levin, Simon Raven, David Rees and Peregrine Worsthorne

Forum World Features and the Institute for the Study of Conflict

In 1977 The Times identified Hamilton as one of three “prominent critics of communism” along with Brian Crozier and Robert Moss.

Hamilton was the managing director of Kern House Enterprises from 1970, until it was shut down in 1975. He then became Director of Studies at the Institute for Study of Conflict from 1975–1977.