˜Theœ Catacazy Affair and the Uneasy Path of Russian-American Relations

"This is the first full treatment of the Catacazy Affair, and its far-reaching implications for Russian-American relations. Constantin Catacazy whipped up scandal in Washington after his appointment there as Russian Ambassador in 1869. By 1871, President Grant and his Cabinet requested that he be recalled. But the timing of this request overlapped with the visit of the tsar's son to the USA - a celebrated diplomatic event symbolising the friendship and good will between the two nations. Catacazy was allowed to travel with the tsar's son, but only as a persona non grata. This tense resolution led many to worry about the future of the Russian-American friendship. With a keen sense of the human interest, Farrow demonstrates that this affair was one of the earliest significant complications in the relationship between Russia and the USA. An increasingly uneasy relationship followed, culminating in the USA's intervention against the new Bolshevik regime. This book provides an insight into 19th-century politics and diplomacy, and explores the pre-suffrage power of women in the political arena through an investigation of the Washington wives' reactions to the controversial figure of Olga Catacazy. Using a lively micro-historical approach and fresh materials such as the letters of Catacazy and of Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, from archives in the USA, UK and Russia, this book provides cutting-edge analysis of a pivotal episode in modern history."-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 12 1 “There is a great sympathy between the people of the two countries which is a delusion”: Russian-American Relations before 1869 18 2 “Two-Penny Machiavelli”: The Early Life and Career of Constantin Catacazy 36 3 “The Intermeddling of the Russian Minister” 42 4 “Falsehood, Intrigue and Hostility”: Catacazy’s Breaches of Protocol 62 5 “She Had a Story and a Past”: Olga Catacazy and the Washington Wives 72 6 “A Thorough Mischief Maker”: The Recall of Catacazy 88 7 The “Industrious Flea”: Catacazy and the Visit of Grand Duke Alexis 112 8 “He ... Smirked Too Much to Be Dignified”: The Departure of Constantin Catacazy 136 Conclusion: “The Catfish War” and Its Legacy 152 Notes 168 1 “There is a great sympathy between the people of the two countries which is a delusion”: Russian-American Relations before 1869 168 2 “Two-Penny Machiavelli”: The Early Life and Career of Constantin Catacazy 172 3 “The Intermeddling of the Russian Minister” 173 4 “Falsehood, Intrigue and Hostility”: Catacazy’s Breaches of Protocol 177 5 “She Had a Story and a Past”: Olga Catacazy and the Washington Wives 179 7 The “Industrious Flea”: Catacazy and the Visit of Grand Duke Alexis 187 8 “He ... Smirked Too Much to Be Dignified”: The Departure of Constantin Catacazy 192 Conclusion: “The Catfish War” and Its Legacy 196 Bibliography 202 Index 212 Constantin Catacazy whipped up scandal in Washington after his appointment there as Russian Ambassador in 1869, ignoring diplomatic protocol and defying social mores. By 1871, President Grant and his Cabinet requested that he be recalled. But the timing of this request overlapped with the visit of the tsar's son to the USA - a celebrated diplomatic event symbolising the friendship and good will between the two nations. Consequently, Catacazy was allowed to travel with the tsar's son, but only as a persona non grata. This tense resolution led many to worry about the future of the Russian-American friendship. With a keen sense of the human interest, Lee A. Farrow demonstrates that this affair was one of the earliest significant complications in the relationship between Russia and the USA. Using a lively micro-historical approach and fresh materials such as the letters of Catacazy and of Secretary of State Hamilton Fish from archives in the USA, UK and Russia, Farrow explores 19th-century politics and diplomacy, and the pre-suffrage power of women in the political arena through an investigation of the Washington wives' reactions to the controversial figure of Olga Catacazy. The result is a cutting-edge analysis of this pivotal episode in modern history.