Jack F. Matlock Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack F. Matlock Jr.
United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union
In office April 6, 1987 – August 11, 1991
President	Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Arthur A. Hartman
Succeeded by	Robert S. Strauss
United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia
In office September 28, 1981 – September 20, 1983
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Francis J. Meehan
Succeeded by	William H. Luers
Personal details
Born	Jack Foust Matlock Jr. (1929-10-01) October 1, 1929 (age 95) Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Spouses	Rebecca Matlock ​ ​ (m. 1949; died 2019)​ Grace Baliunas Austin ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	5
Alma mater	Duke University Columbia University
Profession	Diplomat, educator, historian, linguist

Jack Foust Matlock Jr. (born October 1, 1929) is an American former ambassador, a skilled Foreign Service Officer, a teacher, a historian, and a language expert. He was a specialist in Soviet affairs during the important years of the Cold War. He served as the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1987 to 1991.

Matlock became interested in Russia while studying at Duke University. After more studies at Columbia University and teaching Russian at Dartmouth College, he joined the Foreign Service in 1956. His 35-year career covered much of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. His first time working in Moscow was in 1961. From the embassy there, he experienced the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, helping to translate important messages between leaders. He later worked in Africa during a time of rivalry between superpowers.

During a period of reduced tensions called détente, he led Soviet affairs in the State Department. He started attending important meetings between leaders, known as summits. He went to almost all U.S.–Soviet summits from 1972 to 1991. Matlock was back in Moscow in 1974, working as the second-in-command at the embassy for four years. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1980, the period of reduced tensions ended. Matlock was sent to Moscow again in 1981 as acting ambassador during the early part of Ronald Reagan's presidency. Reagan later made him ambassador to Czechoslovakia. In 1983, Reagan asked him to return to Washington to work on a plan to end the arms race. When Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet leader in 1985, arms talks and summits started again. Matlock became ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1987. He saw the final years of the Soviet Union before he retired in 1991.

After leaving his diplomatic career, he wrote a book about the end of the Soviet Union called Autopsy on an Empire. He then wrote Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended, which made him known as a historian. He also taught diplomacy at several colleges. In 1998, Matlock was chosen to join the American Philosophical Society, a famous group of thinkers. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Jack Matlock's Early Life and Career

Jack Matlock was born in 1929 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He finished high school in 1946. He married Rebecca Burrum in 1949. He graduated with top honors from Duke University in 1950. Later, he earned a master's degree from Columbia University in 1952.

He taught Russian language and literature at Dartmouth College from 1953 to 1956.

Joining the Foreign Service

In 1956, Matlock joined the Foreign Service. He worked in many places, including Vienna, Moscow, Accra (Ghana), Zanzibar, and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). He was in charge of Soviet Affairs at the State Department from 1971 to 1974. He also served as U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1981 to 1983. Later, he was a special assistant to the president for national security. He also worked on European and Soviet affairs for the National Security Council from 1983 to 1986.

Matlock speaks several languages, including Czech, French, German, Russian, and Swahili.

Ambassador to the Soviet Union

Ronald Reagan chose Matlock to be the ambassador to the Soviet Union. He served in this important role from 1987 to 1991. Before this, he had worked in Moscow several times. He was a vice consul and third secretary from 1961 to 1963. He was also the second-in-command at the embassy from 1974 to 1978. In 1981, he was the acting ambassador.

After retiring from the Foreign Service in 1991, Matlock returned to teaching. He became a professor of international Diplomacy at Columbia University. He later moved to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was a professor from 1996 to 2001. He also taught at other colleges like Princeton University and Mount Holyoke College. He has received honorary doctorates from several universities.

In 2013, Matlock completed his Ph.D. from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Jack and Rebecca Matlock had five children and three grandchildren. Rebecca passed away in 2019. Matlock later married Grace Baliunas Austin.

A Deep Interest in Russia

Matlock said he became very interested in Russia after reading books by Dostoyevsky while at Duke University. He then studied Russian language and culture at Columbia University. He believed that dealing with the Soviet Union would be the main challenge for American diplomacy after World War II.

In 1953, he became a Russian instructor at Dartmouth College. He even helped create an index for Joseph Stalin's writings for the State Department. Since the Soviet Union was a closed society in 1956, he decided the best way to learn about Russia was to become a diplomat. He knew his career goal from the start:

…when I entered the Foreign Service I shocked a lot of people by what seemed to be overweening ambition when I was asked "What do you want out of the Foreign Service?" I stated frankly, "I want to be the American ambassador to the Soviet Union."

Working in Moscow: Early Years

After working in Vienna, Austria, and training in Russian, Matlock arrived in Moscow for the first time in 1961. He started as a Vice Consul. His job was to meet with people who wanted to visit or move to the United States. One famous person he met was Lee Harvey Oswald, who asked for help to return to the U.S. after living in the Soviet Union. Matlock helped the Oswald family leave the USSR in May 1962.

After a year, Matlock became a Third Secretary in the Political Section. American foreign policy towards the Soviet Union was called containment. This policy, explained by George F. Kennan, aimed to stop the spread of Communism. The idea was that Communism would eventually fall apart from its own problems. However, this didn't stop talks between the Superpowers.

In June 1961, President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev met in Vienna. In December, the United Nations General Assembly agreed on a plan for disarmament talks. This time also saw the start of U.S.-Soviet cultural exchanges, like the visit of poet Robert Frost to Moscow.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The containment policy was seriously tested during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. Matlock, along with other diplomats, helped translate messages between President John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev. This was a very tense time when the world worried about nuclear war.

Diplomatic Work in Africa

In late 1963, Matlock moved from Moscow to West Africa, arriving in Accra, Ghana. Kwame Nkrumah was the first president of newly independent Ghana. Post-colonial Africa became a place where the U.S. and Soviet Union competed for influence.

In 1967, Matlock went to East Africa to work as a consul in Zanzibar. This was his first time leading a Foreign Service office. His next job was in Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. Even in Africa, his knowledge of Soviet affairs was useful. With Leonid Brezhnev in power, Soviet foreign policy stated that once a country became Communist, it should never leave the Soviet sphere of influence.

Working in Washington: Soviet Affairs

In 1971, Matlock became the Director of Soviet Affairs in the State Department. During Richard Nixon's presidency, a period known as détente began. This meant a reduction in Cold War tension. Matlock helped negotiate agreements to control weapons and other deals between the two countries. He attended almost every U.S.-Soviet summit meeting from 1972 to 1991.

Return to Moscow: Second-in-Command

After four years in Washington, Matlock spent four years as the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. This was the second-highest position. These years confirmed his reputation as a Soviet expert within the State Department. In 1976, it was revealed that the Soviet Union had been sending microwaves at the Moscow Embassy for many years. This caused worries about health effects.

On August 26, 1977, a major fire broke out at the embassy. Everyone was safely evacuated. President Jimmy Carter praised the embassy staff for their efforts.

Back in the United States

Matlock returned to the U.S. and taught for a year at Vanderbilt University. The next year, he worked at the Foreign Service Institute, which is the State Department's language training school.

In January 1980, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. President Carter responded by delaying a major arms control treaty and stopping trade. Also in 1980, a new embassy building in Moscow was found to have many hidden listening devices, making it unsafe for secret work.

Acting Ambassador in Moscow

Matlock returned to Moscow in 1981 as the acting ambassador, also known as chargé d'affaires. By April 24, President Reagan had lifted the trade ban, and trade restarted. Matlock showed America's wish for good relations with the Soviets:

We are seeking an active dialogue on all levels. But a dialogue is useful only if it is candid, and we must learn not to take offense at candor but to use it to help us understand each other. - Jack F. Matlock Jr. (New York Times Quote of the Day for July 5, 1981)

On August 6, 1981, President Reagan ordered the development of a neutron bomb. This led the Soviets to start talks, and negotiations on limiting nuclear weapons in Europe began on November 30.

Ambassador to Czechoslovakia

In late 1980, President Jimmy Carter had appointed Matlock as ambassador to Czechoslovakia. However, the Senate didn't approve it before Carter lost the election. So, it was Ronald Reagan who re-appointed him in 1981. During his time there, Matlock helped solve a big problem between the two countries. He helped return 18.4 tons of gold that the Nazis had stolen in World War II. This gold had been held in American and British banks since its recovery.

On March 23, 1983, President Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative. This was a plan for a weapons system in space and on the ground to protect against nuclear attacks. Matlock continued to advise the president on policy toward the Soviet Union. On September 1, 1983, when the Soviets shot down commercial flight KAL 007, Matlock returned to Washington to work with White House officials.

Working at the National Security Council

Reagan appointed Matlock to a special position at the National Security Council (NSC). His job was to create a plan for talks to end the arms race. Earlier that year, the long-standing policy of containment toward the Soviet Union had been changed. The new approach included putting internal pressure on the Soviets while also holding talks where both sides had shared interests. In the following years, discussions with the Soviets followed Matlock's "Four-Part Agenda." This agenda included Human Rights, Regional Issues, Arms Control, and Bilateral Issues.

On November 25, 1983, Soviet leader Yuri Andropov announced that nuclear missiles would be placed again in the western Soviet Union. This showed the increased tension between the two countries. Relations began to improve with Ronald Reagan's speech on January 16, 1984. He said that the U.S. and U.S.S.R. had "common interests," and the most important was to "avoid war and reduce the level of arms." He also said he supported a "zero option for all nuclear arms." While some saw this speech as propaganda, Matlock believed it was meant to be taken seriously by Soviet leaders. On June 30, 1984, the Soviets offered to start talks on nuclear and space-based weapons.

The Gorbachev Era

Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union on March 11, 1985. The very next day, talks on nuclear and space-based weapons began in Geneva. A few weeks later, Gorbachev suggested stopping the development of nuclear and space weapons during the talks. In July, he proposed banning nuclear testing. Reagan, however, did not agree to these proposals.

Gorbachev started a period of economic changes called perestroika. He also agreed to a series of summit meetings with the American president. Matlock played a key role in preparing Reagan for his first summit with Gorbachev. He arranged for government experts to write 21 papers about Russia for Reagan to study. Matlock even acted as Gorbachev in a practice summit, helping Reagan prepare for the real meeting.

Geneva Summit, with Matlock seated at the far end of the table

In June 1986, Matlock spoke at a conference in Jūrmala, Latvia. He told the crowd that the United States did not recognize the Soviet Union's control over the Baltic States. His words are believed to have encouraged the independence movement in Latvia.

U.S.-Soviet relations became difficult when the Soviets arrested U.S. reporter Nicholas Daniloff. This seemed to be in response to the arrest of a suspected Soviet agent. Matlock advised taking a firm stance with the Soviets. Charges against Daniloff were dropped, but a diplomatic dispute followed. This led to the expulsion of many Soviets, including suspected intelligence officers. The U.S. also lost diplomats and Russian support staff from its Moscow Embassy.

Ambassador in Moscow: Final Years

In April 1987, Reagan appointed Matlock as ambassador to the Soviet Union. Conditions at the embassy were tense due to security issues. Within months, U.S. intelligence operations in the Soviet Union were compromised. Americans suspected the embassy's secure communication room was no longer safe. It was later discovered that spies within U.S. agencies were responsible.

Throughout 1987, relations steadily improved. U.S. military inspectors attended Soviet military exercises. There was an agreement to create centers for reducing nuclear threats. Also, the first talks aimed at banning nuclear tests began. This improvement in relations was also seen in cultural exchanges. Matlock invited ballerina Maya Plisetskaya to a reception. This helped Matlock understand Gorbachev's intentions, as earlier Soviet leaders would have seen it as a challenge.

A second fire at the embassy in February 1988 damaged several floors.

Improvements continued throughout the year, with two summit meetings. The first was in Moscow, and the second was in New York. An earthquake struck Armenia during the second summit, cutting it short. However, Gorbachev accepted a U.S. offer of help for the victims. This was the first official U.S. assistance since World War II.

The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. On November 15, the U.S. and Soviet Union presented a joint resolution to the United Nations. This was about "Consolidation of International Peace, Security and Cooperation," their first joint effort like this. A meeting in Malta in December brought Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush together for their first summit.

The June 1990 summit in Washington led to several agreements between the two countries. These covered chemical weapons, trade, aviation, grain, and more. The September meeting in Helsinki was a place to discuss the Persian Gulf War.

A third fire happened at the embassy in April 1991. In June 1991, Matlock learned of a planned coup against Gorbachev and warned him. It didn't help; shortly after his July summit with Bush, and just 8 days after Matlock's term ended, Gorbachev was briefly removed from power by the August 1991 coup.

The Soviet Union collapsed by the end of 1991. This happened just a few months after Matlock retired from his 35-year diplomatic career, having achieved his goal of becoming ambassador to the Soviet Union.

Understanding the End of the Cold War

After retiring, Matlock wrote his most important book, Autopsy on an Empire: The American Ambassador's Account of the Collapse of the Soviet Union. This long book describes the final years of the Soviet Union. Many people consider it the best insider's guide to the topic.

His next book, Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended, talks about the relationship between the two leaders. It also describes their efforts to reduce weapons. Matlock believes that Ronald Reagan's military buildup in the early 1980s has led to a wrong idea of Reagan as someone who wanted war. The first page of Reagan and Gorbachev has a quote from Ronald Reagan in 1981. Reagan said, "I've always recognized that ultimately there's got to be a settlement, a solution."

Matlock says Reagan never changed his goals. At his first press conference as president, Reagan said he was in favor of "an actual reduction in the numbers of nuclear weapons." This goes against claims by some who say Reagan alone won the Cold War through military strength.

His third book, Superpower Illusions: How Myths and False Ideologies Led America Astray--And How to Return to Reality, published in 2010, looks at the time after the Cold War. It also offers his ideas for future policy.

Teaching Diplomacy

Matlock speaking at UCLA in November 2007

Matlock has taught diplomacy at several universities, including Duke University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and Hamilton College. In a 1997 interview, Matlock gave advice to people who want to become diplomats:

• Have an optimistic nature.
• Get a broad education.
• Don't expect to change the world by yourself.
• Know the country you are working in.
• Know your own country well.
• Faithfully represent your government.
• Find common interests with other countries.
• Remember that timing is everything.

Matlock also shared his thoughts on a basic difference in politics:

I don't see much difference between a communist regime and a fascist regime. In fact, I think one of the greatest intellectual confusions that many have had over these decades is the whole right and left thing -- fascists are on the right, communists are on the left. Nonsense! They come together and overlap, and we're seeing this in Russia today where the allies are the nationalistic chauvinists and the communists. They are natural allies because they are authoritarians by nature. And more than authoritarians, they tend to be totalitarians, which means that they tend to destroy all of the elements of the civil society. To me that's much more important than whether you're philosophically right or left. You know, are you willing to create and live in a civil society, in an open society, or not? That to me is the basic issue.

Views on U.S. Policy

Since leaving government, Matlock has sometimes joined other experts to criticize U.S. foreign policy. In 1997, he signed an open letter to President Bill Clinton. The letter criticized plans for NATO expansion. Matlock believed that expanding NATO would make it harder to reduce nuclear weapons with Russia. This, he thought, would increase the risk of a nuclear attack by terrorists.

In 2004, Matlock signed a statement criticizing President George W. Bush's policies. He supported Senator John Kerry for president.

In 2007, Matlock joined other important figures like George Shultz and Henry Kissinger. They argued for a world free of nuclear weapons. In 2008, he joined other former ambassadors to suggest ways for Russia and the United States to improve their relations. He supports the Global Zero Initiative, a plan to get rid of all nuclear weapons by 2030. Matlock also signed a letter in 2011 asking for the locations and numbers of nuclear weapons to be made public. This would help build trust between countries.

In 2011, he co-signed a letter to President Obama. It asked for a United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlements in occupied territory.

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