Elbridge Durbrow facts for kids

Elbridge Durbrow (born September 21, 1903 – died May 16, 1997) was an important American diplomat. He worked for the US Foreign Service for many years. One of his most important jobs was being the US ambassador to South Vietnam. He served in this role from 1957 to 1961.

Durbrow worked with the leader of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem. At first, he supported Diem's government. But by late 1960, he saw that things were getting worse. He warned that Diem might be overthrown. He also worried that the country could fall to the Viet Cong. Because of his concerns, President John F. Kennedy later moved Durbrow to a new role in Europe.

Who Was Elbridge Durbrow?

Elbridge Durbrow was a key figure in American diplomacy. He helped shape how the United States dealt with other countries. His career spanned nearly 40 years. He worked in many different parts of the world.

His Early Life and Education

Elbridge Durbrow was born in San Francisco, California. He went to Yale University and graduated in 1926. He studied philosophy there. After Yale, he continued his studies at several other universities. These included Stanford University and the University of Burgundy in France. He also studied at The Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands. He learned about international economics and finance at the University of Chicago.

Starting His Diplomatic Career

Durbrow began his career in the US Foreign Service. This is a group of people who represent the United States in other countries. His first job was as a Vice Consul in Poland. Over the next ten years, he worked in many cities. These included Bucharest, Naples, Rome, Lisbon, and Moscow.

In 1941, Durbrow became an assistant chief. He worked in the US State Department. His job was to handle affairs for Eastern European countries.

Working with World Leaders

In 1944, Durbrow became the chief of the Eastern European division. This was in Washington, DC. That same year, he was part of an important meeting. It was called the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference. This conference helped create big organizations. These included the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It also set up the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These groups help manage money and trade around the world.

After World War II, Durbrow spoke out. He did not want the US to recognize new communist governments. These were in countries like Hungary and Romania. In 1946, he moved to Moscow. He became the Deputy Chief of Mission there. He worked under Walter Bedell Smith. Durbrow often warned about the Soviet Union trying to expand its power. He worried they would try to divide the Western world.

From 1948 to 1950, he advised the National War College. This college trains military and civilian leaders. He then worked as a director for the Foreign Service's staff. In 1952, he went to Italy. He was the deputy chief of mission there. Two years later, he became a "career minister." This is a very high diplomatic rank.

Ambassador to South Vietnam

On March 14, 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower chose Durbrow for a new role. He became the United States Ambassador to South Vietnam. At this time, the US had a small presence in Vietnam. The goal was to stop communism from spreading.

Durbrow faced many challenges as ambassador. He had to work with Ngo Dinh Diem's government. Diem's rule was very strict. There were also problems with corruption. Some South Vietnamese officers did not like Diem. They tried to get Durbrow to join their anti-Diem groups. Durbrow felt uneasy about Diem's power. But the US government still supported Diem. So, Durbrow had to refuse to join these groups.

In 1960, Diem and his brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, made a serious accusation. They said Durbrow supported a failed 1960 South Vietnamese coup attempt. This was an attempt by soldiers to overthrow Diem. Durbrow later remembered getting a phone call. An aide to Diem asked him to tell Diem to surrender. Durbrow refused, and no attack happened. He later learned the aide was forced to make the call.

A Change in Leadership

In April 1961, President John F. Kennedy wanted to know more about Vietnam. He formed a committee to study the situation. They wanted to find out how to keep communism out of South Vietnam. On April 16, Kennedy replaced Durbrow. Frederick Nolting became the new ambassador. Nolting believed in trying to calm things down.

After Vietnam, Durbrow continued his diplomatic work. He served as a delegate to the NATO Council in Paris. NATO is a military alliance of many countries. Later, he advised the National War College again. He also advised the Air University.

Life After Diplomacy

Durbrow retired in 1968. He had worked as a diplomat for 38 years. For the next two decades, he wrote and gave talks. His topics were usually about foreign affairs. In the 1970s, he led the American Foreign Policy Institute. He also directed other centers focused on international studies.

Elbridge Durbrow passed away on May 16, 1997. He died at his home in Walnut Creek, California. He was 93 years old. He was survived by his second wife, Benice. He also had two sons from his first marriage, Chandler and Bruce.