By David Langbart In April of this year, Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, made a state visit to the United States. In June 1957, Abe’s grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, then Japan’s prime minister, made a similar visit to the United States. That visit came to symbolize a renewal of the strength of the U.S.-Japan friendship after … Continue reading Golf Diplomacy, 1957
By David Langbart An earlier blog post discussed the November 8, 1963, memorandum on the problem of leaks Under Secretary of State George W. Ball sent to President John F. Kennedy. Since then, more documentation on what led to that memorandum has come to light. By early September 1962, President Kennedy and Under Secretary Ball … Continue reading Leaks in the Department of State, 1963: Antecedents
By David Langbart Records on Turkish atrocities against the Armenians during World War I can be found in a number of different records groups holding records of the Department of State. (1) RG 59: General Records of the Department of State contains significant documentation relating to Turkish persecution of the Armenians. The primary source is … Continue reading Department of State Records Relating to Turkish Atrocities Against the Armenians During World War I
By David Langbart On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln attended a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater. While there, he was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth. He died the next morning. As part of the same murderous conspiracy, Secretary of State William Henry Seward was attacked at his home … Continue reading Reporting the Death of the President, 1865
By David Langbart The development of the Cold War after World War II and America’s ascension to a position as the leading World power with its attendant dangers and complications led to somewhat of a removal of partisan politics from foreign policy issues. Underlying this move, referred to as bi-partisanship, was the idea that the … Continue reading Bipartisanship in Foreign Policy, 1953
By David Langbart In recent years, the subject of leaks of classified information from U.S. Government agencies has received a great deal of attention. This is not a new problem; I have seen references to such leaks as early as World War I. In the early 1960s, however, the Department of State suffered a spate … Continue reading Leaks in the Department of State, 1963
By David Langbart As the Department of State noted in a major 1950 publication “There is no longer any real distinction between ‘domestic’ and ‘foreign’ affairs.” (Our Foreign Policy, Department of State Publication 3972, released September 1950). In the post-World War II Twentieth Century, perhaps no issue better illustrates that statement than the movement for … Continue reading Foreign Policy and Domestic Discrimination
This post is also featured on our Rediscovering Black History blog. By David Langbart. At the outbreak of World War I, William H. Hunt was serving as the U.S. Consul in St. Etienne, France. In addition to his official duties, Hunt was also a true American pioneer. In 1914, he was one of the very … Continue reading William H. Hunt, American Pioneer
By David Langbart. In January 15, 1958, Willard S. Irle, a member of the New York Stock Exchange sent President Dwight Eisenhower a letter with ideas about the preservation of world peace. Irle suggested a “three-pronged program” consisting of the establishment of (1) a universal language, (2) a universal monetary system, and (3) a universal … Continue reading John Foster Dulles Mocks Himself
By David Langbart. Noted broadcast journalist Richard C. Hottelet died on December 17, 2014. He was a great journalist and notable presence on television. I am old enough to remember reports ending with “Richard C. Hottelet, CBS News.” The obituaries published in the wake of his death have focused on his journalistic career, and rightfully … Continue reading Richard C. Hottelet, Government Employee
