In addition to implementing U.S. foreign policy and expanding diplomatic relations, the State Department plays another very important role as…
Environmental Diplomacy: The United States and Russia in the Arctic
A desolate landscape and frozen ocean seems like an unlikely place for the scene of major world events and geopolitical…
The Madrid Train Bombings: An Account of Terrorism
Many nations felt the disastrous repercussions that followed the 9/11 terrorist attack, and this was the unfortunate case for Spain…
Breaking Institutional Barriers: How the State Department Became Less of a Boys’ Club
In the 1960s, the U.S. was still grappling with its new role as a world leader. For nearly two decades,…
China Invades Taiwan? No Chance!
“There is a sentiment that…we need to contain China to balance off its aggressiveness. That would be a disaster.” A…
The Sandinistas Return: Navigating the 2006 Nicaraguan Election
Few events illustrate the challenges of American diplomacy like a foreign election. Diplomats walk a fine line between promoting American…
October 14, 1960—JFK’s Call to Service and Diplomacy
John F. Kennedy inspired generations of Americans toward a life of service starting with a few impromptu lines not many…
Deserted in the Panama Canal, Exploring the Rose City, and Travelling the Globe in Forty Days: Firsthand Accounts from George Hermann in the Foreign Service
Foreign Service Officers are posted to positions abroad for terms of one, two, or three years depending on locality, demand,…
George Hermann “Christmas Time”
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” This part of a song would describe the Christmases spent by George…
Why use diplomatic oral histories in the classroom?
Diplomacy is the art of conducting international relations, negotiating alliances, and exercising tact and skill in dealing with people of…