This study utilizes American, British, and French diplomatic documents and manuscript collections in order trace the long, influential career of Henry White, one of the United States first eminent career diplomats. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, White served under five presidents, including both Democrats and Republicans. Such an accomplishment was a rare feat in a system where political spoils usually determined the course of a diplomat's service. By the time of his retirement in 1919, White had worked for 12 years as first secretary at the American ministry (and later embassy) in Britain, held ambassadorships to Italy and France, represented the United States at the 1906 Algeciras Conference, and served as an American commissioner to the Paris Peace Conference White's most outstanding achievement, and the centerpiece of this study, was his work at the 1906 Algeciras Conference. On short notice, he traveled to this international gathering in Spain and skillfully helped to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the volatile Franco-German crisis over Morocco. Though the United States ostensibly represented a neutral participant at the conference, White and President Theodore Roosevelt secretly played a major role in the negotiations. This study reveals how White more steadfastly supported the French delegation than did the British envoy, Sir Arthur Nicolson, who represented France's colonial partner Central to this study is the close, personal relationship which White shared with Roosevelt. Beginning in 1880s, their friendship spanned over 30 years. After Roosevelt ascended to the presidency in 1901, White became one of his most trusted diplomats. The former Rough Rider frequently called on the services of White, who he considered the most useful man in the entire diplomatic service during his presidency and for many years before. Roosevelt and White shared the conviction that the time had come for America to abandon its isolationist tradition and assume its rightful role among the great powers. Their extensive, yet secretive, involvement in the Moroccan Crisis reflected the contest between isolationism and internationalism which characterized American foreign policy during this period / acase@tulane.edu
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_26325 |
| Date | January 1992 |
| Contributors | Kostandarithes, Danton Prescott (Author), Esthus, Raymond A (Thesis advisor) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Access requires a license to the Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) database., Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law |
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