Arthur W. Hummel junior

Arthur W. Hummel, Jr.

Arthur William Hummel, Jr. (born June 1, 1920 in Fenyang , Shanxi , China ; † February 6, 2001 in Chevy Chase , Maryland ) was an American diplomat who served among other things as ambassador to Burma between 1968 and 1971 from 1975 Was Ambassador to Ethiopia until 1976, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs between 1976 and 1977 and Ambassador to Pakistan from 1977 to 1981 . Most recently, he was ambassador to the People's Republic of China in 1981 and 1985 .

Life

Studies and beginning of the diplomatic career

Hummel was the son of Arthur W. Hummel Sr. and his wife Ruth Bookwalter Hummel, who worked as English teachers and Christian missionaries in China. After attending Westtown High School in Philadelphia , he first completed an undergraduate degree at Antioch College in Yellow Springs , which he graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA). He was then a student at the California College of Chinese Studies in Beijing from 1940 to 1941 and also worked in 1941 as an English teacher at the Fu Jen Middle School there . Because of this activity, he was taken to an internment camp by the Japanese occupation forces in 1941 , from which he managed to escape in 1944. He then fought in a national Chinese guerrilla group.

After his return to the USA, Hummel began a postgraduate course in international relations at the University of Chicago , which he completed in 1950 with a Master of Arts (MA International Relations). In 1950 he joined the US State Department's diplomatic service . At the beginning of his diplomatic career he was press and public relations attaché at the consulate general in Hong Kong between 1952 and 1955 and then deputy head of the press and public relations department at the embassy in Japan from 1955 to 1957 , before being advisor for press between 1957 and 1961 - and public relations work at the embassy in Burma. From 1961 to 1963, he was the deputy director of the Voice of America foreign broadcaster , which was part of the US Government's Press and Public Relations Office ( US Information Agency ) .

Ambassador and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs

In October 1968 Hummel replaced Henry A. Byroade as ambassador to Burma after various other activities and remained in this post until July 22, 1971. After further assignments, he succeeded E. Ross Adair as ambassador to Ethiopia on April 3, 1975 after Thomas McElhiney , the former Inspector General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Service, originally intended for this post, had rejected his appointment on February 11, 1974. Hummel held the post of ambassador to Ethiopia until July 6, 1976.

As successor to Philip Habib , Hummel was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs on July 12, 1976 , whereby he was head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs . He held this office until March 14, 1977, before Richard Holbrooke took over the position on March 31, 1977. He himself then took over the post of ambassador to Pakistan on June 28, 1977 , where he succeeded Henry A. Byroade again. He remained in this diplomatic post until July 19, 1981, before Ronald I. Spiers became the new ambassador to Pakistan on October 29, 1981.

Most recently, Hummel, who was also involved in the private think tank Council on Foreign Relations , succeeded Leonard Woodcock as ambassador to the People's Republic of China on September 24, 1981, and was appointed Career Ambassador on December 11, 1981 , the highest Rank in the US Foreign Service . In 1982, while serving as ambassador to China, he was also chief US negotiator for the US-China Joint Communique on US Arms Sales to Taiwan. He held the post of ambassador to the People's Republic of China until September 24, 1985, when he retired.

His marriage to Betty Lou Hummel had two sons.

Web links

Entry on the page of the Office of the Historian of the US State Department
Arthur W. Hummel junior in the Notable Names Database (English)
Arthur Hummel Jr. Dies at 80; Negotiated Taiwan Arms Pact . In: The New York Times, February 11, 2001

Individual evidence

↑ He was succeeded as ambassador to Burma on October 1, 1971, by Edwin W. Martin , who was previously head of the consulate general in Hong Kong and Macau .
↑ The post of ambassador to Ethiopia was not filled until July 21, 1978 with Frederic L. Chapin , who later was ambassador to Guatemala .
↑ He was succeeded as ambassador to the People's Republic of China on November 19, 1985, Winston Lord , who was previously president of the private think tank Council on Foreign Relations .

personal data
SURNAME	Hummel, Arthur W. junior
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Hummel, Arthur William Jr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American diplomat
DATE OF BIRTH	June 1, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH	Fenyang , Shanxi , China
DATE OF DEATH	February 6, 2001
Place of death	Chevy Chase , Maryland

[1] He was succeeded as ambassador to Burma on October 1, 1971, by Edwin W. Martin , who was previously head of the consulate general in Hong Kong and Macau .

[2] The post of ambassador to Ethiopia was not filled until July 21, 1978 with Frederic L. Chapin , who later was ambassador to Guatemala .

[3] He was succeeded as ambassador to the People's Republic of China on November 19, 1985, Winston Lord , who was previously president of the private think tank Council on Foreign Relations .