G. Frederick Reinhardt Explained

G. Frederick Reinhardt
Office:United States Ambassador to Italy[1]
President:John F. Kennedy
Predecessor:James David Zellerbach
Successor:Gardner Ackley
Office1:Ambassadors of the United States to North Yemen
President1:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor1:Raymond A. Hare
Successor1:Parker T. Hart
Office2:Ambassadors of the United States to Egypt
President2:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor2:Raymond A. Hare
Successor2:John S. Badeau
Office3:11th Counselor of the United States Department of State
Predecessor3:Douglas MacArthur II
Successor3:Theodore Achilles
Office4:United States Ambassador to South Vietnam
President4:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Predecessor4:Donald R. Heath
Successor4:Elbridge Durbrow
Birth Date:21 October 1911
Birth Place:Berkeley, California, U.S.
Death Place:Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
Education:University of California, Berkeley (BA)Cornell University (MA)Cesare Alfieri Institute, Italy (Dipl.)

George Frederick Reinhardt (1911–1971) was an American foreign service officer and diplomat from 1937 until 1968.[2] He was considered by his peers to be among the finest diplomats of his era.[3] Reinhardt was the U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam (1955–1957), to the United Arab Republic and North Yemen (1960–1961) and to Italy (1961–1968). In Vietnam, he worked to improve relations between the United States and South Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem.

Childhood and education

Reinhardt was born in Berkeley, California on October 21, 1911,[4] the eldest of two boys born to Dr. George F. Reinhardt Sr. and Aurelia Henry Reinhardt (later to become president of Mills College).[5]

Reinhardt's father, George, was a well known physician who sat on the Medical Board of California (originally the Board of Examiners of the Medical Society of California), serving as the organization's vice president in 1908 and its president in 1909.[6] Dr. George Reinhardt was also the first University Physician and Professor of Hygiene at the University of California, Berkeley, where he founded the country's first, comprehensive, prepaid, student health program and hospital, in 1906.[7] [8] George died in Berkeley on June 7, 1914, when Reinhardt was not yet three years old.[9]

Reinhardt matriculated at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in classics and modern languages. Reinhardt would win the Alumnus of the Year award from the Cal Alumni Association in 1962.[10] He earned an M.A. from Cornell University in 1935 in the field of European history and international law, his dissertations were entitled, "German interest in the Russo-Japanese war"[11] and "International Control of Rivers for Non-Navigational Purposes."[12] He earned a Diploma from Cesare Alfieri Institute, Florence, Italy, in 1937.[13] He also earned honorary doctorates from Universities of California, Gonzaga and Mills College.

Foreign service career

Reinhardt began his professional career serving on the United States and Mexico International Boundary Commission.[14] In 1937 Reinhardt began his foreign service as the vice-consul in Vienna, Austria.[15] There, in March 1938, he witnessed the Austrian Anschluss.[16] By the end of the year he had been recalled and begun training in Russian at Harvard University.[17] In October 1939, he was designated third secretary of the legation and American vice consul in Tallinn, Estonia.[18] By June 1940, Reinhardt was assigned for the first time to the Moscow embassy.[19] During his first assignment in Moscow, Reinhardt assisted in the removal and liquidation of U.S. assets in the Baltic states following the Soviet annexation.[20] He also provided consular service to U.S. nationals, and served as a Russian language interpreter. Reinhardt served as an interpreter during meetings between Joseph Stalin and President Roosevelt's personal representative, Harry Hopkins.[21] He was considered only second, to Charles E. Bohlen, to interpret for Roosevelt at the Tehran Conference.[22] In October 1941, as Moscow came under threat from the German army as a result of Operation Barbarossa, Reinhardt remained in the city under Llewellyn Thompson (the then Second Secretary at the U.S. Embassy to the Soviet Union),[23] while Ambassador Laurence A. Steinhardt and other diplomatic personnel and news correspondents were evacuated to Kuibyshev.[24] [25] [26]

In 1943, Reinhardt was then stationed in Algiers, to serve on Robert Murphy's Staff. He served as the U. S. representative for the Allied Control Commission for Italy while Bob Murphy went back to the U. S. on leave. His expertise were in high demand in the Mediterranean, both because of his expertise in Italian and experience with Soviet affairs.[27] Dealing with the Soviets regarding Balkan concerns was a major reason for his involvement.

When on 19 November 1951, the NATO Defense College opened its doors to Course 1 in Paris, Reinhardt was the only civilian senior instructor assigned to the course.[28]

During the spring of 1953 President Eisenhower asked Reinhardt to participate as a Russian expert as part of a top-secret program, named Project Solarium, examining the advantages and disadvantages of a series of military and political strategies seeking to "roll back" existing areas of Soviet influence and restore the prestige of the west.[29] [30] Reinhardt participated as a member of "Task Force C" delivering their recommendation to Eisenhower, John F. Dulles and other cabinet members on July 16, 1953.[31] Project Solarium's findings produced NSC 162/2, a national strategy directive commonly assessed to have guided U.S. strategy from its publication to the end of the Cold War.

Throughout the course of his Foreign Service career, Reinhardt held the following postings with the U.S. Department of State:[32] [33]

In December 1968, Reinhardt resigned from the Foreign Service shortly after a visit to Rome by President Johnson.[34]

Career in the private sector

Following his departure from the State Department, Reinhardt accepted a position with the Stanford Research Institute to run its office in Zurich, Switzerland.[35] The Stanford Research Institute, operating today as SRI International, is a non-profit research center with offices around the world. The organization serves clients in the private and public sector to develop real-world implementation of varied R&D projects.[36] Reinhardt retained this position until his death in 1971.[37]

Personal life

On September 10, 1949, Reinhardt married Lillian Larke "Solie" Tootle of Bethany, West Virginia at a ceremony in Weston, Connecticut.[38] [39] The two first met in Vienna prior to World War II and then became reacquainted in Paris when Solie was working for the Marshall Plan.[40] They had four children: George Frederick ("Fred"), Anna Aurelia ("Aura"), Charles Henry ("Harry"), and Catherine Jane ("Cathy").[41]

Reinhardt served on numerous boards and as a leader to a variety of organizations including the Telluride Association (member)[42] and the American Foreign Service Association (President).[43] He was also a member of the American Society of International Law,[44] the Academy of Political Science, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the U.S. Naval Institute.

Reinhardt died of a heart attack on February 22, 1971, in Birmensdorf, Switzerland.[45] He was buried at the Protestant Cemetery in Rome (Il Cimitero Acattolico di Roma), for which he had served as administrator from 1961 until 1968, by virtue of his post as U.S. Ambassador.[46] Following her death, the ashes of Reinhardt's widow, Solie, were interred beside his in 2009.

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: George Frederick Reinhardt (1911–1971). Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute. United States Department of State. November 10, 2021.
  2. Web site: George Frederick Reinhardt. March 24, 2018. State Department. Office of the Historian.. https://web.archive.org/web/20180324224310/https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/reinhardt-george-frederick. 2018-03-24. live. March 28, 2018.
  3. News: DIPLOMAT'S FONDEST MEMORY: CHINA BREAKTHROUGH. Times. Bernard Gwertzman and Special To the New York. The New York Times . 24 September 1982 . 2018-03-30. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180331104457/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/24/us/diplomat-s-fondest-memory-china-breakthrough.html. 2018-03-31.
  4. NNDB Web site: G. Frederick Reinhardt . 2007-12-09 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20071017230752/http://nndb.com/people/198/000130805/ . 2007-10-17 .
  5. "Guide to the Aurelia Henry Reinhardt Papers, Mills College ". Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  6. "Officers of the Medical Board of California", the Medical Board of California (Web site: Archived copy . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171219043320/http://www.mbc.ca.gov/About_Us/History/history_officers.pdf . 2017-12-19 .)
  7. "Berkeley Student Services," University of California History, Digital Archives. (Web site: University of California History Digital Archives: Berkeley Student Personnel Services (Printer friendly version) . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/uchistory/general_history/campuses/ucb/studentsvcs_print.html . 2018-04-25 .)
  8. Annual Report of the President of the University on Behalf of the Regents, to His Excellency the Governor of the State of California: 1913-1914. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1914. (p. 144)
  9. Annual Report of the President of the University on Behalf of the Regents, to His Excellency the Governor of the State of California: 1913-1914. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1914. (p. 144)
  10. News: Alumnus/a of the Year Recipients. 2010-01-27. Cal Alumni Association. 2018-04-15. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/https://alumni.berkeley.edu/community/alumni-awards/alumnus-year. 2018-04-25.
  11. Web site: German interest in the Russo-Japanese war - Cornell University Library Catalog. newcatalog.library.cornell.edu. en. 2018-04-19.
  12. 1939. Doctoral Dissertations in Political Science. 1949524. The American Political Science Review. 33. 4. 732–747. 10.1017/S0003055400037199 . 147493725 .
  13. News: WINS FELLOWSHIP IN ITALY; Californian to Study World Problems at Florence. January 10, 1937. New York Times. March 25, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327090451/https://www.nytimes.com/1937/01/10/archives/wins-fellowship-in-italy-californian-to-study-world-problems-at.html. 2018-03-27. live.
  14. Reinhardt. G. Frederick. 1937. Rectification of the Rio Grande in the El Paso-Juarez Valley. 2190713. The American Journal of International Law. 31. 1. 44–54. 10.2307/2190713. 145187195 .
  15. News: The Foreign Service. 18 July 1937. The New York Times. 14 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327090354/https://www.nytimes.com/1937/07/18/archives/the-foreign-service.html. 2018-03-27. live.
  16. News: U. S. Notes Recognizing Anschluss; Note on Austrian Status Note on Indebtedness. Wilson. Hugh. April 7, 1938. New York Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327090424/https://www.nytimes.com/1938/04/07/archives/u-s-notes-recognizing-anschluss-note-on-austrian-status-note-on.html. 2018-03-27. live.
  17. October 1939. News From the Department. Foreign Service Journal. 16. 568. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327213843/http://www.afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-october-1939. 2018-03-27.
  18. News: The Foreign Service. October 1, 1939. The New York Times. March 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084647/https://www.nytimes.com/1939/10/01/archives/the-foreign-service.html. 2018-03-27. live.
  19. July 1940. Foreign Service Updates. Foreign Service Journal. 17. 7. 394. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327213858/http://www.afsa.org/foreign-service-journal-july-1940. 2018-03-27.
  20. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1940, General, Volume I - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. 2018-03-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212418/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1940v01/d444. 2018-03-27.
  21. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. 2018-03-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212906/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1941v01/d751. 2018-03-27.
  22. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943 - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180416073730/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1943CairoTehran/d66. 2018-04-16. live. 2018-04-15.
  23. "U.S. Ministers and Ambassadors to Russia". United States Embassy, Moscow. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005.
  24. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. 2018-03-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212002/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1941v01/d839. 2018-03-27.
  25. News: SECRET CAPITAL SET UP BY SOVIET; Steinhardt and Other Envoys Move to Undisclosed Center -- Aides Left in Moscow. October 18, 1941. The New York Times. March 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084645/https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/18/archives/secret-capital-set-up-by-soviet-steinhardt-and-other-envoys-move-to.html. 2018-03-27. live.
  26. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. 2018-03-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180328040951/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1941v01/d871. 2018-03-28.
  27. Telegram from Kirk to State Department May 13, 1944. RG 123 Reinhardt, G. Frederick/149. U. S. National Archives.
  28. News: ATLANTIC NATIONS OPEN PARIS SCHOOL; 50 Officers and Civilians From All 12 Pact Members in First 6-Month Course. 1951-11-20. The New York Times. 2018-03-30. en-US. 0362-4331. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180331043732/https://www.nytimes.com/1951/11/20/archives/atlantic-nations-open-paris-school-50-officers-and-civilians-from.html. 2018-03-31.
  29. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 1 - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329184146/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v02p1/d67. 2018-03-29. live. 2018-03-29.
  30. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 1 - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329121315/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v02p1/pg_326. 2018-03-29. live. 2018-03-29.
  31. Web site: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 1 - Office of the Historian. history.state.gov. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329184234/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v02p1/d79. 2018-03-29. live. 2018-03-29.
  32. Web site: G. Frederick Reinhardt . 2007-12-09 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20071017230752/http://nndb.com/people/198/000130805/ . 2007-10-17 .
  33. "George Frederick Reinhardt (1911-1971)," Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. (Web site: George Frederick Reinhardt - People - Department History - Office of the Historian . 2016-08-26 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160327172132/https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/reinhardt-george-frederick . 2016-03-27 .)
  34. "Interview with Ambassador Peter S. Bridges," October 24, 2003. By Charles Stuart Kennedy. The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project (Web site: Archived copy . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211114648/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/mss/mfdip/2007/2007bri01/2007bri01.pdf . 2017-02-11 .)
  35. "G. Frederick Reinhardt Dead; Ambassador to Italy 1961-68," The New York Times. 02/24/1971 (News: G. Frederick Reinhardt Dead; Ambassador to Italy, 1061‐68 - the New York Times . . 24 February 1971 . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/24/archives/g-frederick-reinhardt-dead-ambassador-to-italy-196168-eisenhower-s.html . 2018-04-25 .)
  36. "About us" SRI International Website. (Web site: SRI International - an independent, nonprofit R&D organization dedicated to client success . 2017-09-02 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006045822/http://sri.com/about/ . 2011-10-06 .)
  37. (News: G. Frederick Reinhardt Dead; Ambassador to Italy, 1061‐68 - the New York Times . . 24 February 1971 . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/24/archives/g-frederick-reinhardt-dead-ambassador-to-italy-196168-eisenhower-s.html . 2018-04-25 .)
  38. "Marriages," The American Foreign Service Journal, Vol. 26, No. 11. November 1949, p. 22. (Web site: Archived copy . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/http://www.afsa.org/sites/default/files/fsj-1949-11-november_0.pdf . 2018-04-25 .)
  39. News: Marriage for Lillian Tootle. September 10, 1949. New York Times. March 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180324231150/https://www.nytimes.com/1949/09/11/archives/weston-m-arriaqe-for-lillian-tootle-former-eca-aide-is-he-bride-of.html. 2018-03-24. live.
  40. Book: Reinhardt, Solie. V-Mail Wartime Letters. Private. 1998. New York. 126.
  41. "Obituary: Lilian Reinhardt," The New York Times, February 12, 2009.
  42. News: Reinhardt Still in Riga. October 1940. Telluride News Letter. April 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101331/https://www.tellurideassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/27_1_1940_Oct.pdf. April 2, 2018. live.
  43. Web site: AFSA Presidents. American Foreign Service Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20180328103200/http://afsa.org/list-afsa-presidents. 2018-03-28. live. April 1, 2018.
  44. 1971. Business Meeting. 25660420. The American Journal of International Law. 65. 4. 323–332.
  45. Shurtleff, William Roy. Descendants of Johannes P. Reinhardt of Württemberg. Pine Hill Press, Lafayette, California: 1994. pp 82-82
  46. Protestant Cemetery, Rome: Stone 7 "George Frederick Reinhardt & Lillian Tootle Reinhardt" (Web site: Protestant Cemetery, Rome: Stone 7 . 2018-04-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425014953/http://www.cemeteryrome.it/cemeterydb/SitoExt/S7.html . 2018-04-25 .)

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