The Devil's Alternative = Akuma no sentaku

Forsyth's portrayal of political brinkmanship feels so realistic. I wonder if real events influenced these scenes or if they were purely imagined.

The characters are often forced to choose between worse options, which made me question what I would do in their place. Does anyone else find themselves debating their choices?

The central dilemma drives the plot in such a compelling way. I'm curious whether this idea was planned from the beginning or evolved during writing.