The 45-year-long Cold War of protracted geopolitical contention between two global powerhouses helped determine the unprecedented magnitude of nuclear weapons…
State Department Response to the Holocaust—Jewish Refugees and Attempts to Enter the United States during WWII
In 1938, in the shadow of the Great Depression came rumblings from Europe of a great war and with it…
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…
Lessons from Haiti: Why Security-Only Interventions Fail
Haiti has been plagued with instability for much of its existence, despite being the second country in the Americas to…
A Murder in the Straits Colony—Life in Colonial Singapore
In the case of most diplomats, the investigation of crimes is an activity that is neither envied nor sought out;…
The Rocky Beginnings of the U.S.-ASEAN Relationship
What does the beginning of a diplomatic partnership look like? Though the image that comes to mind is elegant diplomacy,…
Captivating Times in India—What it Means to Travel Across the World as a Foreign Service Officer
Upon joining the Foreign Service, most officers are immediately assigned to locations all over the world. Postings can vary from…
First Assignment—Thailand During the Vietnam War
Harlan Lee first became a foreign service officer in 1968 during the Vietnam War, and he was immediately dispatched to…
Colin Powell—Kuwait and the Gulf War
In early August 1990, the president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, ordered the invasion of Kuwait. Some of Hussein’s contentious justifications…
Commemorating Colin Powell
On October 18, 2021 America lost a remarkable leader and public servant. Colin Powell served as the highest ranking soldier,…