Introduction; 1. Cultural Diplomacy from the Bronze Age to World War I; 2. Total War and Its Aftershocks; 3. Designing Cultural Relations; 4. Nelson Rockefeller and Other New Boys; 5. The Moment of MacLeish; 6. Early Field Staffing; 7. Two Classical Cultural Products: Architecture and Libraries; 8. Benton, Fulbright, Smith, and Mundt; 9. Language Teaching, Books, and Two Visionaries; 10. Postwar Losses and Fulbright's Gift; 11. Re-Orienting Germany and Japan; 12. The Birth of USIA; 13. Center and Periphery, Coping and Reshaping; 14. New Frontiers for Old: Murrow and Coombs; 15. Battle's Rescue and the Birth of the Peace Corps; 16. The Arts of Vision; 17. Charles Frankel in the Middle; 18. The Arts of Performance; 19. Intellect and Government; 20. Nixon and Ford, Shakespeare and Richardson; 21. Six Intellectuals in Government; 22. Change and Performance: Stanton's Struggle; 23. Paved with Good Intentions: The Carter Reorganization; 24. End Game or New Dawn? Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Richard T. Arndt worked for USIA for twenty-four years after earning a doctorate and teaching at Columbia University. Since retiring from the USIA, he has served as the president of the U.S. Fulbright Association, coedited The Fulbright Difference, 1948-1992, chaired the National Peace Foundation, and is currently the president of Americans for UNESCO. He lives in Washington, D.C.
"[Arndt's] lengthy and well-written book examines the people,
programs, ideas, and debates that have shaped U.S. cultural
diplomacy. . . .No other book has, or is likely to have, comparable
scope and detail. . . . He has provided an essential and
encyclopedic resource for anyone interested in the past and future
of cultural diplomacy. The book appears to be the product of a
lifetime of work and of research, and it is passionately and
eloquently written."—American Historical Review
"People who enjoy history will find this book a real treasure. . .
.With the skill of a master mosaicist, Arndt pieces together
archives, interviews, and personal experiences to reveal the inner
workings of diplomacy."—Asia Times
"Arndt's work is a valuable resource for specialists in U.S.
foreing relations. His encyclopedic knowledge, first-person
perspective, and timely warnings about the perils of American
solipsism make this study essential reading for anyone concerned
with 'why they hate us.'"—Register of the Kentucky Historical
Society
"Never in the history of the republic have we Americans been so
cordially disliked around the world. Never have we needed an
effective strategy for cultural diplomacy more. In The First Resort
of Kings, Richard Arndt presents the neglected history of American
cultural diplomacy, and his story is as accurate and engrossing as
it is depressing. We desperately need to do better, and Arndt has
some important advice about how and where we can improve. This is a
valuable book for anyone who cares about improving America’s place
in the world."—Stanley N. Katz, professor of public and
international affairs, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton
University
"A massive and disturbing discussion of the bureaucratic politics
and the general schizophrenia that have informed America’s attitude
toward ‘cultural diplomacy.’ Richard Arndt gives us an insider’s
examination of the best, and the worst, official efforts to create
a favorable image of the U.S. abroad."—Joseph LaPalombara, senior
research scholar and Wolfers Professor Emeritus of Political
Science and Management, Yale University
"With twenty-four years of direct experience in America’s efforts
at cultural diplomacy, Richard Arndt is adept at sorting out the
petty bureaucratic struggles from the serious efforts of many
talented practitioners to find an answer to the proper role of our
government in this policy minefield. His broad intellectual
background and his felicitous expression make him an ideal guide
through this contentious field, and his many personal portraits of
distinguished Americans in our recent history are a real
treat."—Arthur Hartman, former U.S. ambassador to France and the
Soviet Union
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