Vital Issues - Our Foreign Service:How Good Is It? - Can We Improve It?

Sep 21, 2026

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A discussion guide addressing the urgent need to strengthen the United States Foreign Service and improve how America manages complex global crises. It explains how foreign relations became an ongoing responsibility for all Americans, then contrasts the past—when isolationism limited concern—with the evolving world power realities after World War I and the Cold War. It highlights structural changes like the Rogers Act of 1924 and outlines why a professional, ability-based service is essential.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Vital Issues

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE

Our Foreign Service:How Good Is It?Can We Improve It?

How can it be improved?

HOW IT USED TO BE...

...AND AS IT IS

MARYGROVE COLLEGE Lionl DETROIT,MICHIGAN # Vital Issues ## PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE # "A DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR BETTER INFORMED AMERICANS” A service of the CENTER FOR INFORMATION ON AMERICA WASHINGTON,CONNECTICUT Volume VII,Number 2 ## Our Foreign Service:How Good Is It?Can We Improve It? Today the foreign relations of the United States havebecome an ever-present reality and responsibility for allAmericans. Immediate events in the Middle.East,the challenge posedby communist Russia,our concern lest Red China dominatethe Far East,our awareness of explosive conditions in Africa,all add up to a growing dread that we shall find ourselveslosing control of our own destiny in a chaotic and hostileworld if our foreign policy does not work out better. And today,as in 1778,the lines of direct contact betweenour country and other nations are manned by a comparativelysmall group—the men and women of the United States For-eign Service.Backing up the officers are the members of theForeign Service Staff Corps—the typists,stenographers,codeclerks,analysts,and others whose work forms an indispensablepart of the proper functioning of the Foreign Service. What is the Foreign Service,and is it strong enough tomeet the enormous problems posed by our precarious world? If it does not fill the bill,what's wrong? ## How can it be improved? Before we come to these vital questions,let's take a lookat some necessary background. ## HOW IT USED TO BE... Not so long ago Americans didn't worry much about therest of the world.Take,for example,the year 1936 whenmany of those now graduating from college were born.Thatyear Hitler(by reoccupying the Rhineland)smashed theframework of European security and put the world on noticethat only a major war might stop him. What did the United States do? Nothing. Our Government said officially that the whole messy affairwas none of our business. Two decades ago isolationism was supreme in America,andthis attitude seemed to have the support of history.For acentury and a half we had stuck to our hemisphere and doneour best to make Europe keep "hands off." The history of our foreign relations began with a GoldenAge of half a century when giar cs like Franklin,Jefferson,the two Adamses,and Monroe worked to complete our inde-pendence from Europe and acquire from Great Britain,France,and Spain the territory to make this a transcontinental Repub-lic.This Golden Age of American Diplomacy had one greatresult:separation from the toils of foreign problems.It closed Drawings by C.P.Meier EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE:Dr.Jomes W.Fesler,Professor of Government,Yale University;Dr.Kent RobertsGreenfield,Chief Historion,Department of the Army,Woshington,D.C.;Dr.Allon Nevins,Professor Emeritus of AmericanHistory,Columbia University,President of the Society of Americon Historions;Dr.Robert Spiller,Chairman of theDeportment of Americon Civilizotion,University of Pennsylvonia,former President of the American Studies Assciation. in 1823 with the proud proclamation of the Monroe Doctrine.(Whether or not the nations of Europe quaked in their boots at this warning to keep out is another story.) After that the Foreign Service sank into almost a centuryof mediocrity.As our representatives in foreign capitals wehad an endless string of party bosses,big political spenders,and gouty retired generals,with now and then a distinguishedliterary personage thrown in for show.In those days the bestway for an eager young man to get a Foreign Service post likeSecretary of Legation was to be a close friend of a powerfulSenator. In the century between the War of 1812 and the FirstWorld War there were few occasions when the actions ofan American diplomat had any significant or lasting bearingon the nation's vital interests.Somehow whenever a realcrisis popped up we had the right man in the right spot,like Charles Francis Adams,our Minister to Great Britainduring the Civil War.But the days when a ludicrous ForeignServic

FAQs

Why does the guide argue that foreign relations affect all Americans?

It states that immediate events worldwide create responsibilities and growing fears that the United States may lose control of its destiny if foreign policy does not work better.

How did the guide describe the Foreign Service in earlier years?

It describes a period of mediocrity and influence by party bosses and retired generals, with appointments often depending on social connections rather than professional ability.

What changes helped form a more professional Foreign Service?

The guide points to the Rogers Act of 1924, which systematically staffed the Foreign Service by merging the diplomatic officers and the consular corps, enabling a service based more on training and ability.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Ivy