Last month, the National Archives joined the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Arlington National Cemetery in a commemoration of the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor 125 years ago (February 15, 1898). Representatives of the three organizations discussed the historical context of the Maine’s visit to Cuba, the explosion and investigations, … Continue reading Department of State Records Relating to the Destruction of the USS MAINE
A fixture of U.S. foreign relations in the Twentieth Century has been the “special relationship” between the United States and Great Britain. Certainly since World War II, and perhaps even earlier, the diplomatic, cultural, economic, military, and intelligence cooperation and relationship between the two countries were unparalleled in modern history. Whether that remains true today … Continue reading Special Relationship? Probably Not in 1932
An earlier post discussed the Department of State reaction to the publication of The Invisible Government by David Wise and Thomas Ross. That book was one of the first “exposés” of Central Intelligence Agency activities. As the 60s wore on, critical books appeared in ever greater numbers, some penned by former CIA officers. One of … Continue reading The Department of State Reacts to Public Revelations of Intelligence Activities, 1969
Robert C. Toth during the "William Reilly at the LA Times Roundtable" discussion on C-SPAN, Oct 17, 1989 Noted journalist Robert C. Toth died on December 12, 2022. He was 93 years old. Toth was a reporter and foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. He covered many important stories and won many awards for … Continue reading Interrogated! Robert Toth in Moscow, June 1977
To many, Mikhail Gorbachev seemed to come out of nowhere in 1985 to become the leader of the USSR. In some ways, his example supports the “great person” view of history, which is deeply ironic since he came out of the Marxist-Leninist milieu with its emphasis on the impersonal forces of history. Mikhail Gorbachev, 1987 … Continue reading Mikhail Gorbachev, 1931-2022
Situated as it is in the mid-Atlantic region, the weather in Washington, DC is extremely variable. The region experiences four distinct seasons a year, but within each season there can be wild swings in the weather. This is particularly true in winter and summer. During the winter, the city can experience days or weeks that … Continue reading Washington DC Weather and Diplomatic Protocol, 1959
An earlier post discussed a late 1949/early 1950 exchange of correspondence between the Department of Defense and the Department of State about potential international implications of the integration of the U.S. armed forces in the late 1940s. Defense officials wanted to know if there were “political objections to the stationing of individual Negroes or non-segregated … Continue reading The Question of Integrating U.S. Forces in Greenland, 1948
Many factors enter into the world of diplomacy and international relations. Appearances count. One need only note the imposing edifices erected by some countries to house their embassies overseas. Something as mundane as the cars in which diplomats ride at their posts can also affect how people in other countries see them. In a July … Continue reading Automobile Diplomacy, 1961
Lawrence S. Eagleburger was a career Foreign Service Officer who rose in the ranks to become Secretary of State, albeit for only a couple of months. In his career, he held the following senior positions in the Department of State: Deputy Under Secretary of State for Management (1975–1977)Ambassador to Yugoslavia (1977–1981)Assistant Secretary of State for … Continue reading Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Comedian
New York City has seen many ticker-tape parades. Presidents. Prime Ministers. Kings. Queens. Astronauts. Sports figures and teams. Politicians. Even one musician. All have ridden through the high rise canyon of the Big Apple as the ticker-tape and shredded paper floated down and people cheered. U.S. Army Private First Class White waves an American flag … Continue reading Don’t Rain on My Parade
