G. McMurtrie Godley
Encyclopedia
George McMurtrie Godley was an American
diplomat
most notable for serving as United States Ambassador to Laos
1969-1973, at the height of the Vietnam War
. President
Richard Nixon
nominated Godley as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
in 1973, but his nomination was rejected by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
.
. He was educated at the Hotchkiss School
and at Yale University
, and spent some time on graduate work at the University of Chicago
.
Godley joined the United States Foreign Service
in 1941. He was posted in France
, Switzerland
, Belgium
, Cambodia
and the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
.
In 1946, he married Livia Paravicini, who had served as a sergeant major
in the Swiss Army Ambulance Corps during World War II
. The couple divorced in 1963.
On February 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson
appointed Godley United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Ambassador Godley presented his credentials to the Congolese government on March 23, 1964. During his time as ambassador, Mobutu Sese Seko
staged a second coup and seized control of the country. Godley left this post on October 15, 1966.
Godley married his second wife, Elizabeth McCray Johnson, in 1969. Together, they had two sons, George and Nicholas.
In 1969, President Nixon appointed Godley Ambassador to the Kingdom of Laos
, with Ambassador Godley presenting his credentials on July 24. Ambassador Godley arrived in the midst of the Laotian Civil War and effectuated the American policy of supporting the Royal Lao Government
against the Communist Pathet Lao
. Although Laos was officially neutral in the ongoing Vietnam War, the Central Intelligence Agency
was secretly active in Laos, organizing and financing Laotian and Thai
guerillas who were fighting the Pathet Lao and the North Vietnamese. Godley left his position as Ambassador to Laos on April 23, 1973.
Upon his return to the U.S., President Nixon nominated Godley as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
. J. William Fulbright
, the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
, opposed this nomination, arguing that Godley was too closely identified with failed American policy in Southeast Asia
to supervise U.S. diplomatic efforts in Asia
.
Following the failure of this nomination, on February 13, 1974, President Nixon nominated Godley as United States Ambassador to Lebanon
. Ambassador Godley presented his credentials on March 15, 1974, and served as Ambassador to Lebanon
until January 13, 1976.
Upon his return from Lebanon, Godley retired from the Foreign Service and settled in Morris, New York. At this time, Godley learned that he had throat cancer
and his larynx
was removed as a result. In spite of his battle with throat cancer, Godley enjoyed an active retirement. He participated in founding the Glimmerglass Opera
near Cooperstown, New York
, serving as its first president, and later as chairman emeritus until the time of his death. He also served as chairman of Hartwick College
and of Oneonta's Fox Hospital.
In August 1992, Godley's activities as Ambassador to Laos were examined by the United States Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs
. Some reports suggested that during the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Indochina
in the wake of the Fall of Saigon
, as many as 135 American prisoners of war may have been left behind. Before the committee, Godley testified that he had done his best to account for all American P.O.W.s in Indochina, and that he believed that no P.O.W.s remained when he left Indochina in 1973.
Godley died at age 82 of heart failure on November 7, 1999, at Fox Hospital in Oneonta, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
most notable for serving as United States Ambassador to Laos
United States Ambassador to Laos
This is a list of United States Ambassadors to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, or Laos. The Embassy at Laos was established on August 22, 1950...
1969-1973, at the height of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
nominated Godley as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs is the head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary guides operation of the U.S...
in 1973, but his nomination was rejected by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
.
Biography
G. McMurtrie Godley, known informally as "Mac", was born on August 23, 1917 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was educated at the Hotchkiss School
Hotchkiss School
The Hotchkiss School is an independent, coeducational American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12 and a small number of postgraduates...
and at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, and spent some time on graduate work at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
Godley joined the United States Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
in 1941. He was posted in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960...
.
In 1946, he married Livia Paravicini, who had served as a sergeant major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
in the Swiss Army Ambulance Corps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The couple divorced in 1963.
On February 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
appointed Godley United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.From 1877 until 1960, the republic had been a colony of Belgium, first under the name Congo Free State and then Belgian Congo....
. Ambassador Godley presented his credentials to the Congolese government on March 23, 1964. During his time as ambassador, Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
staged a second coup and seized control of the country. Godley left this post on October 15, 1966.
Godley married his second wife, Elizabeth McCray Johnson, in 1969. Together, they had two sons, George and Nicholas.
In 1969, President Nixon appointed Godley Ambassador to the Kingdom of Laos
Kingdom of Laos
The Kingdom of Laos was a sovereign state from 1953 until December 1975, when Pathet Lao overthrew the government and created the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Given self-rule in 1949 as part of a federation with the rest of French Indochina, the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a...
, with Ambassador Godley presenting his credentials on July 24. Ambassador Godley arrived in the midst of the Laotian Civil War and effectuated the American policy of supporting the Royal Lao Government
Royal Lao Government
The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic...
against the Communist Pathet Lao
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group was ultimately successful in assuming political power after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists...
. Although Laos was officially neutral in the ongoing Vietnam War, the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
was secretly active in Laos, organizing and financing Laotian and Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
guerillas who were fighting the Pathet Lao and the North Vietnamese. Godley left his position as Ambassador to Laos on April 23, 1973.
Upon his return to the U.S., President Nixon nominated Godley as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs is the head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs within the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary guides operation of the U.S...
. J. William Fulbright
J. William Fulbright
James William Fulbright was a United States Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975.Fulbright was a Southern Democrat and a staunch multilateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations and the longest serving chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
, the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
, opposed this nomination, arguing that Godley was too closely identified with failed American policy in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
to supervise U.S. diplomatic efforts in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Following the failure of this nomination, on February 13, 1974, President Nixon nominated Godley as United States Ambassador to Lebanon
United States Ambassador to Lebanon
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States and other Heads of Mission to Lebanon.* George Wadsworth – Consul General, later promoted to Envoy. Also was head of mission to Syria but resident in Beirut....
. Ambassador Godley presented his credentials on March 15, 1974, and served as Ambassador to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
until January 13, 1976.
Upon his return from Lebanon, Godley retired from the Foreign Service and settled in Morris, New York. At this time, Godley learned that he had throat cancer
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
and his larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
was removed as a result. In spite of his battle with throat cancer, Godley enjoyed an active retirement. He participated in founding the Glimmerglass Opera
Glimmerglass Opera
Glimmerglass Festival is an opera company which was founded in 1975 by Peter Macris and presents an annual season of operas at the Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake eight miles north of Cooperstown, New York, United States.The summer-only season usually consists of four operas performed in...
near Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, serving as its first president, and later as chairman emeritus until the time of his death. He also served as chairman of Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
and of Oneonta's Fox Hospital.
In August 1992, Godley's activities as Ambassador to Laos were examined by the United States Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs
United States Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs
The Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs was a special committee convened by the United States Senate during the George H. W. Bush administration to investigate the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue, that is, the fate of United States service personnel listed as missing in action during the Vietnam...
. Some reports suggested that during the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
in the wake of the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
, as many as 135 American prisoners of war may have been left behind. Before the committee, Godley testified that he had done his best to account for all American P.O.W.s in Indochina, and that he believed that no P.O.W.s remained when he left Indochina in 1973.
Godley died at age 82 of heart failure on November 7, 1999, at Fox Hospital in Oneonta, New York
Oneonta, New York
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
.
Links
- http://georgegodley.com/