It was one of the darkest periods in Latin American history. From 1976-1983, a brutal military junta ruled Argentina in…
Antarctica — Diplomats at the End of the World
Antarctica remains as mysterious as it is legendary. Studied throughout history for its geology, climate, and resources, Antarctica’s allure is…
Clifton Wharton — Diplomat and Pioneer
Clifton Reginald Wharton, Sr. was the first African-American Foreign Service Officer to rise to the rank of ambassador without a…
Yeltsin Under Siege — The October 1993 Constitutional Crisis
For Russians, it was yet another dramatic confrontation which played out in the streets of Moscow, one which marked the…
Memoirs of an Agent for Change in International Development
Back to Memoirs and Occasional Papers Lu Rudel describes his unique experiences with U.S. economic aid programs during some of…
“Vive Le Québec Libre!” — When Canada’s Separatist Movement Turned Violent
Scotland, Catalonia, Northern Ireland, Quebec –Western regions with distinct histories and linguistic identities, which have at times also experienced violent…
The Middle East Cauldron
Edward “Skip” Gnehm served as Ambassador to Kuwait shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, from 1991 to 1994, and…
Dealing with a Reunified Germany
With the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, the long-awaited reunification between East and West Germany began. A…
Negotiating the Montreal Protocol on Protecting the Ozone Layer
As global concerns grow over the effect of climate change and the devastating effects it already is beginning to have…
The 1985 Mexico City Earthquake
On the morning of September 19, 1985, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake hit the western states of Mexico and including Mexico City. …