After George W. Bush’s 2006 meeting on the tarmac with Vladimir Putin, he famously declared “I looked the man in…
Environmental Issues: Tackling Air Pollution in Beijing
In addition to implementing U.S. foreign policy and expanding diplomatic relations, the State Department plays another very important role as…
The First Diplomatic Visit in Forty Years to the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky”—Donald C. Johnson’s 1984 Visit to Mongolia
Mongolia—sparsely populated, largely nomadic, and surrounded by nuclear superpowers. The end of the Cold War could not have been the…
From Armistice Day to Veterans Day: Honoring Veterans Who Became U.S. Diplomats
Annually, as a sign of respect, Americans observe a moment of silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day…
The Lost Sense of Belonging: An Attempt to Fit in
Becoming a refugee often involves losing more than just one’s home country. Perhaps one of the most important is the…
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…
Combating Illicit Trade in Ancient Art to Protect the Cultural Heritage of Mankind
The study of ancient art in museum collections has long been a stimulus to the human spirit and an important…
A Big Delegation For a Small Consulate: President Reagan visits Shanghai
With a presidential visit comes months of preparation and stress. While big embassies with hundreds of staff members are often…
The Iran Hostage Crisis: Diplomatic Drama and Legal Innovation
Next to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, the Iranian seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979 and…
CORDS Alumnus Gives Perspective on U.S. Role in Vietnam
Should the United States ever have gone to war in Vietnam? Nearly fifty years after the last American troops were…