David Bruce and Diplomatic Practice: An American Ambassador in London, 1961–9

Description

David Bruce (1898-1977) was a prominent American diplomat, who served in France, Germany, and the UK. His work is examined here to provide an in-depth look at the practice of diplomacy and the role of the ambassador as diplomatic actor. This thorough survey aims to investigate the relevance of the resident embassy to modern diplomacy. To do so, it focuses on the ambassador’s daily work as a diplomat, looking at his role in promoting friendly relations, his political reporting, policy advising, as well as the role of his staff and his relations with others in the Foreign Service. It also addresses major issues such as the debate over the “death of the embassy,” showing that ambassadors remain vital actors in the relations between major powers. The work integrates theoretical material on diplomatic practice and the case study of a highly regarded diplomat. This unique, readable study will appeal to students in diplomacy, international relations, American politics, as well as to trainee and junior diplomats. Cover Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements 1 Introduction 2 The Embassy and the Residence 3 Communicating with Washington 4 Engaging British Government and Society 5 The London Embassy in Anglo-American Relations 6 The Diplomatic Corps 7 Elements of Embassy Work: Consular Affairs, Intelligence, Defence and Culture 8 Threats to the Embassy? The Media, Summits and Special Missions 9 Conclusion Appendix 1 US Embassy and Consulate Staff in the UK, 1961 Appendix 2 Selected Ambassador’s Statistics, for Full Years, 1962–8 Select Bibliography Index