The currency of Soviet Russia was the ruble—or was it? When General Services Officer Robert Weisberg was posted to the…
“She’s Not a Woman, She’s a Diplomat”—Navigating Saudi Arabia in the 1980s
A car full of armed guards trailed after Janice Bay as she defiantly walked down the gate-lined road away from…
The 1964 Murder of Noted Composer Marc Blitzstein in Martinique
In 1964 on the French island of Martinique, well-known American composer Marc Blitzstein was found on the street badly injured…
“A Special Place in My Heart:” Memories of USAID in Vietnam
Images of the U.S. military in Vietnam are part of the American consciousness. But these images are only part of…
Geiger Counters, and a Nanny Who Became a Millionaire—Establishing a USAID Mission in Kazakhstan
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, USAID made Central Asia a top priority—“no matter where you were posted and…
Death, Love and Conspiracy: The Nepalese Royal Massacre of 2001 (Durbar Hatyakanda)
Facing domestic unrest, including a Maoist insurgency, the Nepalese royal family never suspected that the greatest threat to the monarchy…
Persuading an Arms Dealer to Come Clean in a New South Africa
Yacht trips, golf junkets, and private receptions with Oprah. These are rare events even in elevated diplomatic careers. Yet William…
Diamonds, Coal, and the Dutch Queen—NBC’s First Female Broadcaster Escapes The Netherlands in 1940
Reporting live from a shortwave radio station near the German border at the beginning of World War II, NBC’s first…
Fake Eyeglasses and an Elaborate Ruse: Escaping Iran During the 1979 Hostage Crisis
With forged passport in hand, Kathleen Stafford donned fake eyeglasses and pulled her long hair back. If this plan worked,…
Public Diplomacy in Cyprus: Reaching Across the Green Line
Marked by broken glass, sand bags, and abandoned buildings, the Green Line dividing Nicosia is a place out of time.…