This thesis explores a continuous problem facing those who conduct American diplomatic affairs: the appointment of amateurs, with no previous experience in diplomacy, as ambassadors representing the United States abroad. This study contends that the noncareer, nonprofessional appointment is neither necessarily a bad thing nor should it be considered undesirable, given the American system of conducting its foreign affairs. On the contrary this thesis argues that the amateur ambassador can effectively serve to enhance the needs of American foreign policy without having the same professional training.accorded to the career foreign service officer.

In both a general review of Franco-American relations and in a more specific discussion of the Anglo-American good offices mission to France in 1958, this thesis has attempted first, to analyze the foreign policies of France and the United States which developed from the impact of the Second World War and, second, to describe Franco-American discord as primarily a collision of foreign policy goals--or, even farther, as a basic collision in the national attitudes that shaped those goals--rather than as a result either of Communist harassment or of the clash of personalities.

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This study analyzes U.S. relations with the Barbary States from 1784 to 1805. After the American Revolution, the young nation found its commerce menaced in the Mediterranean by North African pirates sponsored by the rulers of Morocco, Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli. As the U.S. sought to find a solution to end piracy and the practice of paying tributes or ransom to free Americans held captive, Thomas Jefferson proposed several solutions as a diplomat, vice president, and as president when he authorized the Tripolitan War (1801-1805). Thus, this look at U.S. relations with the Barbary States focuses on Jefferson’s evolving foreign policy proposals and argues that William Eaton’s secret mission in 1805 eventually reshaped U.S. policy in the Mediterranean and brought Jefferson’s ideas for a military solution to fruition. This change in policy would soon bring about the end of piracy against U.S. merchant vessels and the nation’s involvement in tributary treaties.

Gouverneur Morris had an influence on the foreign policy of the Washington administration. This thesis will be focusing Morris' career as foreign minister to France. Morris served as the American minister to France during the French Revolution and reported to the Washington Administration on the events that transpired during that event. This thesis intends to show what impact Gouverneur Morris had in keeping the Washington administration neutral during this tumultuous time from his own point of view and various others with whom he corresponded with during his time as minister, most notably, George Washington. Morris' private diaries and letters will be used to show the information that Morris was relaying to Washington during the revolution. Along with this, Washington's diaries and letters will show how that information influenced his decision on how to pursue a foreign policy in regards to Europe, in particular France.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze a prominent figure of the 20th century, William Randolph Hearst and to analyze the influence he was able to exert over American foreign policy through his own personal connections and those of his periodicals. This also includes an analysis between Hearst and Roosevelt, and noting the varying levels of influence between the two. This thesis will demonstrate that William Randolph Hearst is a prominent figure of 20th century history, but was overshadowed by Roosevelt. Hearst while powerful was always putting his power into ventures that would backfire politically. When his papers declined, his influence over politics plummeted instantly.

New archival documentation that was previously unknown details a new understanding concerning the life and death of Lornezino de' Medici.