Richard Nolte
Encyclopedia
Richard H. Nolte was an American
Middle East
expert and diplomat
. Nolte was the second director of the Institute of Current World Affairs
. He was appointed ambassador to the United Arab Republic
, which was the name of Egypt
at the time, but never served due to the Six-Day War
.
to Julius and Mildred Miller Nolte. He earned a bachelor's degree
in European Studies
at Yale University
in 1943.
He served as a U.S. Navy pilot in World War II
from 1943 to 1945 following his graduation. He returned to Yale following his discharge from the Navy and earned a master's degree
in international relations
in 1947. He earned a Rhodes Scholarship
and began studying Arabic, Arab history and Islamic law
at Oxford University in 1947.
. He also taught at Dartmouth College
in the late 1950s before serving as a Middle East specialist for the American Universities Field Staff.
Nolte was appointed as the second executive director
of the Institute of Current World Affairs in 1959, a position he held until 1978. (The ICWA was founded in 1925 by Walter Rogers). He often awarded fellowships not just to the traditional fields of diplomacy and journalism, but also to a wide array of disciplines such as music (Roger Reynolds
) and dieticians (Andrew Weil
). He was best known at the Institute for appointing its first woman fellow, Barbara Bright, a journalist
who studied in Germany.
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson named Nolte as the U.S. ambassador
to Egypt in 1967 because of his expertise in Middle Eastern affairs. He arrived in Cairo on May 21, 1967. However, the Six-Day War
broke out just two hours before Nolte was due to present his diplomatic credentials to Egyptian President
Gamal Abdel Nasser
on June 5, 1967. Nolte instead spent his first week in Cairo, Egypt, helping to arrange passage home for Americans stranded in Egypt by the war.
Nasser had refused to meet with Nolte because the United States had allied with Israel
during the war. He was expelled from Egypt on June 10, 1967, just one day before the ceasefire
which halted the war. The Washington Post
later called Nolte's short three week term as ambassador "one of the shortest and most hectic diplomatic careers on record." Nolte reportedly expected to be offered another ambassadorship somewhere in the Middle East, but U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk
refused to offer Nolte another position because he viewed Nolte as an Arabist
. Ironically, Nolte supported Nasser specifically and the Arab side of the conflict with Israel, producing diplomatic cables that argued the U.S. should ignore its pledge to Israel that it would not allow Egypt to cut off the Sinai Peninsula via the Straits of Tiran to Israeli vessels.
Nolte served as the chairman of the American Geographical Society
from 1988 until 1996. The American Geographical Society, founded in 1851, provides geographic consulting to American foreign policymakers. Nolte led the Society's 1978 negotiations with the University of Wisconsin–Madison
when the AGS transferred ownership of its maps
and artifacts
to the school.
He also served as a member of a number of other organizations concerned with international relations. Nolte served on the board of directors
and as a past president of the Near East Foundation
. He was also a member of the National Geographic Society
, the Council on Foreign Relations
, the Arctic Institute of North America
and the Alicia Patterson Foundation
. He also became an active board member of the National Aphasia Association after his wife, Jeanne McQuarrie Nolte, suffered a stroke and lost her ability to speak.
Nolte and 16 other former American diplomats wrote a letter to President George W. Bush
in May 2004 urging the President's administration to change its foreign policy
in the Middle East. The letter criticized the Bush administration
for placing U.S. troops, diplomats and civilians "in an untenable and even dangerous position."
at his home in Hanover, New Hampshire
, on November 22, 2007. He was 86 years old and was survived by his wife, Jeanne McQuarrie Nolte, and four sons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
expert and 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...
. Nolte was the second director of the Institute of Current World Affairs
Institute of Current World Affairs
Founded in 1925 by wealthy American philanthropist Charles R. Crane, the Institute of Current World Affairs is a Washington, D.C-based 5013 which provides fellowships, allowing Americans under age 36 to live in a foreign country for two years. Their observations and research are published in...
. He was appointed ambassador to the United Arab Republic
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
, which was the name of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
at the time, but never served due to the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
.
Early life
Nolte was born on December 27, 1920 in Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
to Julius and Mildred Miller Nolte. He earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in European Studies
European studies
European studies is a field of study offered by many academic colleges and universities that focuses on current developments in European integration....
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...
in 1943.
He served as a U.S. Navy pilot in 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...
from 1943 to 1945 following his graduation. He returned to Yale following his discharge from the Navy and earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
in 1947. He earned a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
and began studying Arabic, Arab history and Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
at Oxford University in 1947.
Career
Nolte and his wife lived in Beirut, Lebanon from 1951 until 1957, thanks to a grant from the Institute of Current World AffairsInstitute of Current World Affairs
Founded in 1925 by wealthy American philanthropist Charles R. Crane, the Institute of Current World Affairs is a Washington, D.C-based 5013 which provides fellowships, allowing Americans under age 36 to live in a foreign country for two years. Their observations and research are published in...
. He also taught at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in the late 1950s before serving as a Middle East specialist for the American Universities Field Staff.
Nolte was appointed as the second executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Institute of Current World Affairs in 1959, a position he held until 1978. (The ICWA was founded in 1925 by Walter Rogers). He often awarded fellowships not just to the traditional fields of diplomacy and journalism, but also to a wide array of disciplines such as music (Roger Reynolds
Roger Reynolds
Roger Reynolds is an American composer born July 18, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan. He is a professor at the University of California at San Diego. He received an undergraduate degree in engineering physics from the University of Michigan where he later studied composition with Ross Lee Finney...
) and dieticians (Andrew Weil
Andrew Weil
Andrew Thomas Weil is an American author and physician, who established the field of integrative medicine which attempts to integrate alternative and conventional medicine. Weil is the author of several best-selling books and operates a website and monthly newsletter promoting general health and...
). He was best known at the Institute for appointing its first woman fellow, Barbara Bright, a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who studied in Germany.
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson named Nolte as the U.S. ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Egypt in 1967 because of his expertise in Middle Eastern affairs. He arrived in Cairo on May 21, 1967. However, the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
broke out just two hours before Nolte was due to present his diplomatic credentials to Egyptian President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
on June 5, 1967. Nolte instead spent his first week in Cairo, Egypt, helping to arrange passage home for Americans stranded in Egypt by the war.
Nasser had refused to meet with Nolte because the United States had allied with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
during the war. He was expelled from Egypt on June 10, 1967, just one day before the ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
which halted the war. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
later called Nolte's short three week term as ambassador "one of the shortest and most hectic diplomatic careers on record." Nolte reportedly expected to be offered another ambassadorship somewhere in the Middle East, but U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk
Dean Rusk
David Dean Rusk was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Rusk is the second-longest serving U.S...
refused to offer Nolte another position because he viewed Nolte as an Arabist
Arabist
This is an article about the western scholars known as Arabists, not the political movement Pan-Arabism.An Arabist is someone normally from outside the Arab World who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and Arab culture, and often Arabic literature.-Origins:Arabists began in medieval...
. Ironically, Nolte supported Nasser specifically and the Arab side of the conflict with Israel, producing diplomatic cables that argued the U.S. should ignore its pledge to Israel that it would not allow Egypt to cut off the Sinai Peninsula via the Straits of Tiran to Israeli vessels.
Nolte served as the chairman of the American Geographical Society
American Geographical Society
The American Geographical Society is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world...
from 1988 until 1996. The American Geographical Society, founded in 1851, provides geographic consulting to American foreign policymakers. Nolte led the Society's 1978 negotiations with the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
when the AGS transferred ownership of its maps
MAPS
Maps is the plural of map, a visual representation of an area.As an acronym, MAPS may refer to:* Mail Abuse Prevention System, an organisation that provides anti-spam support...
and artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
to the school.
He also served as a member of a number of other organizations concerned with international relations. Nolte served on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and as a past president of the Near East Foundation
Near East Foundation
The Near East Foundation , formerly the American Committee for Armenian and Syrian Relief , is a Syracuse, NY-based American development agency founded in 1915....
. He was also a member of the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
, the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
, the Arctic Institute of North America
Arctic Institute of North America
The Arctic Institute of North America is mandated to study the North American and circumpolar Arctic in the areas of natural science, social science, arts and the humanities. In addition, it acquires, preserves and disseminates information on environmental, physical, and social conditions in the...
and the Alicia Patterson Foundation
Alicia Patterson Foundation
The Alicia Patterson Foundation Program was established in 1965 in memory of Alicia Patterson, who was editor and publisher of Newsday for nearly 23 years before her death in 1963.-AFP Fellowship:...
. He also became an active board member of the National Aphasia Association after his wife, Jeanne McQuarrie Nolte, suffered a stroke and lost her ability to speak.
Nolte and 16 other former American diplomats wrote a letter to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in May 2004 urging the President's administration to change its foreign policy
Foreign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
in the Middle East. The letter criticized the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
for placing U.S. troops, diplomats and civilians "in an untenable and even dangerous position."
Death
Richard Nolte died of complications from a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at his home in Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
, on November 22, 2007. He was 86 years old and was survived by his wife, Jeanne McQuarrie Nolte, and four sons.