Synopses & Reviews
How do American citizens become ambassadors, and how do they serve as U.S. representatives overseas during such troubled times? What is embassy life really like? How do ambassadors deal with host governments and with officials back in Washington and conduct operations during emergencies and serious crises? Seventy-four senior diplomats give us personal and insider accounts of important experiences. Their comments provide useful insights into the business of diplomacy and will interest students, teachers, practitioners in international affairs, not to mention the general public.
Following a brief historical introduction, the interviewees describe their reasons for becoming ambassadors, the appointment process, their training, the management of an embassy, problems in dealing with heads of state and officials at home. They discuss troubles in Korea and Laos, the Six-Day War in 1967, the Jonestown Affair, hostilities in Cyprus, the Fall of Saigon, civil strife in Nicaragua, along with terrorism, coups, and other demonstrations of violence in the 1970s and 1980s. They point to the future role of ambassadors.
Review
Mak and Kennedy present an interesting collection of interviews on the nature of diplomatic representation and the issues that diplomats face. . . . Their work is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in American diplomatic missions.Harvard International Review
Review
[This interview record of ex-ambassadors] sheds considerable light on the role of American ambassadors that cannot be found elsewhere.John Carroll Professor of History Lamar University
Synopsis
How do American citizens become ambassadors, and how do they serve U.S. interests overseas? What is embassy life really like? How do ambassadors deal with host governments and officials back in Washington? Seventy-four senior diplomats provide real insights and practical lessons into the business of being an American ambassador today in a troubled world. They talk informally about their motivations for a foreign service career, their appointments as ambassadors or senior envoys, their training, the management of an embassy, problems in dealing with heads of state and Washington bureaucracy, serious crises, terrorism, coups, and other violence in the 1970s and 1980s.
Synopsis
Seventy-four senior diplomats provide real insights and practical lessons into the business of being an American ambassador today in a troubled world.
About the Author
DAYTON MAK and CHARLES STUART KENNEDY, former foreign service officers, are in the Foreign Affairs Oral History Program at Georgetown University.
Table of Contents
Preface
The American Ambassadors: A Historical Perspective
Ambassadorial Backgrounds
Appointment of Ambassadors
Ambassadorial Seminar
Managing an Embassy
Dealing with Heads of State
Dealing with Washington
Troubles in Asia: Korea and Laos
Six Day War-1967
The Jonestown Affair: Guyana 1978
Cyprus
The Fall of Saigon: Spring 1975
Nicaragua: Somoza Out, Sandinistas In
Terrorism, Coups, and Other Violence
Ambassadors and the Future
Appendix A: President's Letter
Appendix B: Interviews
Appendix C: Embassy Organization
Index