by Paul D. McCusker WWII experience 1943-1946: Undergraduate B.A. degree cum laude 1943 from Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, ASTP test. Induction, East Texas in hot summer for three months, rail travel with other soldiers to Palo Alto, CA, Stanford University, … Read more

. by Henry E. Mattox Humphrey Bogart intoned the inimitable words in the title, of course, in the 1941 film, “Casablanca.” They capture somehow the feeling I hold for my first post, the Paris embassy of the ‘fifties. Long, long … Read more

by Michael Hornblow

.In a vignette on events that took place almost half a century ago, the author recounts how one group of people, with a little help, reacted to the ravages of nature. The similarities to the storms only just finished, and … Read more

. by J. Edgar Williams As a young Foreign Service officer on my first tour of duty at the U. S. embassy at London, I was the ambassador’s junior aide. (He had a senior aide for the really important stuff.) … Read more

This, the second tranche of a feature on the background to entering a diplomatic career, presents the accounts of five more Foreign Service officers, active or retired. Each officer has an interesting and unique story. We at American Diplomacy believe that each … Read more

Ambassador Bullington for years has been a valued contributor to this journal of accounts of his work as director the Peace Corps in Niger and, importantly, the service of the dedicated volunteers in country.—Ed. by J. R. Bullington Food for … Read more

Elsewhere in this journal we offer accounts by American diplomats, active and retired, on how they became interested in a Foreign Service career.An important part of such careers is the initial assignment, especially the first post abroad. Very frequently officers at … Read more

stories from John Brown; Carleton Coon; Milt Iossi; Brenda B.Scjoonover; Richard Schoonover; and Daniel Strasser

Ambassador Bullington for years has been a valued contributor to this journal of accounts of his work as director the Peace Corps in Niger and, importantly, the service of the dedicated volunteers in country. He includes in this installment interesting … Read more

Generation after generation thousands of us have joined the Foreign Service for thousands of different reasons.Below six Foreign Service Officers of different generations, active duty and retired, describe why they wanted a career in the Foreign Service and how they … Read more

This journal is pleased to present below two communications conveying opposing points of view on the current state of American involvement in Iraq. Two U. S. army officers, Tramps C. Croweand Christopher H. Varhola, one a regular and the other a reservist, … Read more

This journal is pleased to present below two communications conveying opposing points of view on the current state of American involvement in Iraq. Two U. S. army officers, Tramps C. Croweand Christopher H. Varhola, one a regular and the other a reservist, … Read more

The director of the U. S. Peace Corps program in Niger continues a tradition of more than three years standing by sending to the journal yet another exclusive report. As is always the case, Amb. Bullington presents a fascinating glimpse … Read more

The author, a Foreign Service spouse now retired, who spent many years abroad, recalls days in the Caribbean nation much in the news in recent weeks. Yes, Foreign Service people encounter all kinds of beliefs in their years abroad. Read … Read more

The author, a former graduate student at the University of Michigan, reviews deterrence theory in this long-standing case of the United States and China. Those who are not specialists in the field will find this analysis particularly interesting. —Ed. “The real … Read more

The author, a retired senior Foreign Service officer, combines in this article elements of Life in the Foreign Service with A Look Back in time. How did foreign diplomats travel to and from and within Germany in the years soon … Read more

Sometimes it is the journey itself, not the destination, that one recalls. We have all been on “trips from hell” but as the years pass these trips become ever more memorable in their retelling and constitute some of the romance … Read more

Quietude can be downright pleasurable, particularly as one grows older. I reflected on this while observing (via short-wave radio and satellite TV news) the world’s turmoil at the start of the New Year from the vantage point of one of … Read more

One more of the many installments we have been privileged to present to our readers from the rich store of experiences shared by our retired Foreign Service colleagues. The gist here: “You wanted maybe a piano that plays?”—Ed. The telephone … Read more