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Why study the history of American diplomacy?

Most Americans do not think much about U.S. foreign policy. According to a 2013 poll, 83 percent of the respondents wanted the president to focus more on domestic issues than foreign policy.  The Department of State and its diplomats are often seen as distant and detached from the American public, concerned about foreign matters and not what matters at home. When diplomacy succeeds, it’s usually unrecognized. When it fails, it can be seen as profoundly diminishing American standing and reputation abroad.

In these pages, however, I argue that diplomacy holds relevance for the American public. Diplomacy should be the tool of first resort in American foreign policy.

But what exactly is diplomacy?

Some describe it as the "ability to cajole, persuade, browbeat, threaten and nudge other governments and political leaders in directions consistent with our interests and values.” It’s the skillful use of soft power. Diplomats are “translators of the world to Washington, and of Washington to the world.” Diplomats themselves are a tool of foreign policy.  Their presence abroad, access to foreign governments, and cultural and professional training allows them to supply unique insight and analysis not found in any other professional cohort in Washington, DC today.

Why, then, study its history?

The starting point to analysis of any issue is to understand its history.  How did we get here from there?  How have we, as a nation, addressed challenges and made choices in the past? Realizing the value of historical knowledge and analysis  will help us study diplomacy and to realize the value of connecting the past with the present. It is important to have conversations of American diplomatic history to understand the enduring importance of diplomacy.