Sumner Welles: FDR's Global Strategist: A Biography (The World of the Roosevelts)

In 1915, Sumner Welles, the son of an aristocratic family, began to work for the US State Department. Welles quickly showed an aptitude for the delicate job of international negotiation. His early successes in Japan later brought him to the attention of FDR who brought him into his administration as Under-Secretary of State. While Welles provided FDR with invaluable information about Europe and Japan, his main achievement was the development of US relations with Latin America. His bright career, however, was not to last. In 1940, FDR and his cabinet traveled to the funeral of William Bankhead, Speaker of the House. Welles traveled with them and, on the return journey, he propositioned a black Pullman car porter, allowing an aspect of his life that was heretofore hidden, to emerge. The scandal was made public and Welles resigned in 1943, thereby ending his career. This life of Sumner Welles is candidly written, for the first time, by his son, Benjamin Welles. Anyone interested in the accomplishments of this great man, the history of his time and the presidency of FDR, will want to read this beautifully written book. Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 Foreword 9 Sources 11 Prologue: Birth of a Scandal, 1940 15 Part One. Years of Youth 19 1. Family and Groton, 1892-1910 21 2. Harvard, 1911-1912 30 3. Paris, 1913-1914 40 Part Two. Years of Promise 53 4. Japan, 1915-1917 55 5. Argentina, 1917-1919 66 6. Directing Latin American Affairs, 1920-1922 77 7. The Dominican Republic, Mathilde and Resignation, 1922 94 8. “Presidential Timber," 1923-1924 105 9. Crisis in Honduras, 1923 116 10. Marriage and Dismissal, 1924-1925 122 11. In the Political Wilderness, 1927-1928 130 12. The Dawes Mission, 1929 143 13. Growing Links with FDR, 1928-1932 148 Part Three. Years of Achievement 169 14. Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America, 1933 171 15. Ambassador to Cuba, 1933 180 16. End of a Controversial Mission, 1933 193 17. Back at the Helm: The 1936 Buenos Aires Conference, 1934-1936 206 18. Under Secretary and Global Planner, 1937 220 19. At FDR’s Right Hand, 1938-1939 233 20. The Creation of Israel, 1937-1948 243 21. Mission to Europe, 1940 264 22. Hull’s Problem with Welles, 1940-1941 282 23. In the National Spotlight, 1940-1942 295 24. De Gaulle and the Free French, 1940-1944 308 25. The Atlantic Charter Conference, 1941 324 26. Defending the Hemisphere: The Rio Conference, 1942 337 27. Planning for Peace, 1942-1943 348 28. Resignation, 1943 365 Part Four. Years of Decline 379 29. Ready to Depart, 1943-1961 381 Epilogue 399 Notes 405 PROLOGUE 405 CHAPTER 1 405 CHAPTER 2 406 CHAPTER 3 407 CHAPTER 4 408 CHAPTERS 409 CHAPTER 6 410 CHAPTER 7 412 CHAPTER 8 413 CHAPTER 9 414 CHAPTER 10 414 CHAPTER 11 415 CHAPTER 12 416 CHAPTER 13 416 CHAPTER 14 417 CHAPTER 15 417 CHAPTER 16 419 CHAPTER 17 420 CHAPTER 18 422 CHAPTER 19 423 CHAPTER 20 424 CHAPTER 21 427 CHAPTER 22 429 CHAPTER 23 431 CHAPTER 24 432 CHAPTER 25 434 CHAPTER 26 435 CHAPTER 27 436 CHAPTER 28 439 CHAPTER 29 440 EPILOGUE 442 Bibliography 443 Index 449 In 1915, Sumner Welles, the son of an aristocratic family, began to work for the U.S. State Department, where he quickly showed an aptitude for the delicate job of international negotiation. His early successes in Latin America later brought him to the attention of Franklin Roosevelt, who brought him into his administration as Assistant Secretary of State. While Welles provided FDR with invaluable information about Europe and Japan, his main achievement was the development of U.S. relations with Latin America. His bright career, however, was not to last. In 1940, FDR and his cabinet traveled to the funeral of William Bankhead, Speaker of the House. On the return journey, Welles allegedly propositioned a Pullman car porter, allowing an aspect of his life, heretofore hidden, to emerge. The scandal became public and Welles resigned in 1943, thereby ending his career. This first biography of Sumner Welles is candidly written by his son, Benjamin Welles. Examines the career of the global strategist who was also an important figure in Franklin Roosevelt's inner circle