Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 at the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the

Czechs The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, ...

and Slovaks united to form the new nation of

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

. The United States recognized Czechoslovakia and commissioned its first ambassador on April 23, 1919.

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939, establishing a German "

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its int ...

", the

Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia; cs, Protektorát Čechy a Morava; its territory was called by the Nazis ("the rest of Czechia"). was a partially annexed territory of Nazi Germany established on 16 March 1939 following the German oc ...

. By this time, Slovakia had already declared independence and had become a puppet state of Germany, the Slovak Republic. German forces occupied

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

on March 15, 1939. The U.S. embassy was closed on March 21, 1939 and the ambassador left his post on April 6, 1939. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

the U.S. maintained diplomatic relations with the

Czechoslovak government-in-exile The Czechoslovak government-in-exile, sometimes styled officially as the Provisional Government of Czechoslovakia ( cz, Prozatímní vláda Československa, sk, Dočasná vláda Československa), was an informal title conferred upon the Czechos ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Ambassador Anthony J. Biddle, Jr. established an embassy in London on September 17, 1941 and the embassy was maintained until the end of World War II in Europe. Following the war the embassy in Prague was reopened on May 29, 1945. In June 1992, the Slovak parliament voted to declare sovereignty and the Czech-Slovak federation dissolved peacefully on January 1, 1993. The United States recognized the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

and

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

as independent nations and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The previous ambassador to Czechoslovakia,

Adrian A. Basora Adrian Anthony Basora (born July 18, 1938) is an American diplomat, and former United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic. He is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute researching democratization in the post-Communist states ...

, continued as the ambassador to the Czech Republic. Paul Hacker, the incumbent U.S. consul general, served as the first ''chargé d'affaires'' of the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia (January 1 to July 7, 1993), followed by Eleanor Sutter. In November 1993, Theodore E. Russell, former deputy chief of mission in

, became the first U.S. ambassador to

Ambassadors

* Richard Crane – Political appointeeCrane was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 26, 1919. **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: April 23, 1919 ** Presented credentials: June 11, 1919 **Terminated mission: December 5, 1921 *

Lewis Einstein Lewis David Einstein (March 15, 1877 – December 4, 1967) was an American diplomat and historian. Early life Einstein was born on March 15, 1877, in New York City. He was the only son of wool magnate David Lewis Einstein (1839–1909) and, his ...

– Political appointee **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: October 8, 1921 **Presented credentials: December 20, 1921 **Terminated mission: Left post, February 1, 1930 * Abraham C. Ratshesky – Political appointee **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: January 25, 1930 **Presented credentials: May 2, 1930 **Terminated mission: Left post, May 13, 1932 *

Henry Frank Holthusen Henry Frank Holthusen (August 3, 1894 – September 19, 1971, Manhattan, New York City) was a corporation, admiralty, and international lawyer and diplomat. Personal life Holthusen graduated from Columbia University both for undergraduate (1915) ...

– Political appointeeHolthusen was not commissioned; his nomination was not confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: **Presented credentials: **Terminated mission: * Francis White – Career FSO **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: June 13, 1933 **Presented credentials: September 7, 1933 **Terminated mission: Relinquished charge on November 30, 1933 * J. Butler Wright – Career FSO **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: March 9, 1934 **Presented credentials: October 25, 1934 **Terminated mission: Left post, June 1, 1937 * Wilbur J. Carr – Political appointeeGerman forces occupied Prague on March 15, 1939. Ambassador Carr closed the legation in Prague on March 21, 1939, and left post on April 6, 1939. **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: July 13, 1937 **Presented credentials: September 16, 1937 **Terminated mission: April 6, 1939 *Note: The embassy in Prague was closed on March 21, 1939, following the occupation of Prague by German forces on March 15. The U.S. opened an embassy in

and maintained diplomatic relations with the

government-in-exile A government in exile (abbreviated as GiE) is a political group that claims to be a Sovereign state, country or semi-sovereign state's legitimate government, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in a foreign country. Govern ...

of Czechoslovakia during the war. * Anthony J. Biddle, Jr. – Political appointeeThe title of the commission was changed to ''Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary'' in 1943 and Biddle was commissioned to the new position while remaining in the office of ambassador.Biddle was also commissioned to the governments-in-exile of

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, and

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

. **Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary **Appointed: September 17, 1941 **Presented credentials: October 28, 1941 **Terminated mission: June 4, 1943 *Note: The title of the commission was changed to ''Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary'' in 1943. This required a new commission for the ambassador. * Anthony J. Biddle, Jr. – Political appointee **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: June 4, 1943 **Presented credentials: July 12, 1943 **Terminated mission: Left London on December 1, 1943 *Note: After Germany’s surrender at the close of WWII in Europe, the mission of the embassy in London was terminated. Rudolph E. Schoenfeld was serving as chargé d'affaires ''ad interim'' when the embassy was closed. *Note: The embassy in Prague was re-established on May 29, 1945, with Alfred W. Klieforth as chargé d'affaires ''ad interim''. * Laurence A. Steinhardt – Political appointee **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: December 20, 1944 **Presented credentials: July 20, 1945 **Terminated mission: Left post, September 19, 1948 * Joseph E. Jacobs – Career FSOJacobs was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on March 2, 1949. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: October 15, 1948 **Presented credentials: January 5, 1949 **Terminated mission: Left post, October 12, 1949 * Ellis O. Briggs – Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: September 1, 1949 **Presented credentials: November 8, 1949 **Terminated mission: Left post, August 27, 1952 * George Wadsworth – Career FSOWadsworth was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on May 1, 1953. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: October 8, 1952 **Presented credentials: December 29, 1952 **Terminated mission: Left post, October 30, 1953 * U. Alexis Johnson – Career FSOJohnson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 26, 1954. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: November 10, 1953 **Presented credentials: December 31, 1953 **Terminated mission: Left post, December 29, 1957 *

John M. Allison John Moore Allison (April 7, 1905 – October 28, 1978) was an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 1953 to 1957. From 1957 to 1958, he was Ambassador to Indonesia and from 1958 to 1960 to Czechoslovakia ...

– Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: March 12, 1958 **Presented credentials: April 24, 1958 **Terminated mission: Relinquished charge on May 4, 1960 * Christian M. Ravndal – Career FSORavnda was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on August 27, 1960. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: July 21, 1960 **Presented credentials: September 16, 1960 **Terminated mission: Left post, May 6, 1961 *Note: After 1961 the succeeding ambassadors were commissioned to the ''Czechoslovak Socialist Republic''. * Edward T. Wailes – Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: July 14, 1961 **Presented credentials: July 28, 1961 **Terminated mission: Left post, October 22, 1962 *

Outerbridge Horsey Outerbridge Horsey III (March 5, 1777 – June 9, 1842) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Attorney General of Delaware (18 ...

– Career FSOHorsey was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on March 12, 1963. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: November 14, 1962 **Presented credentials: January 3, 1963 **Terminated mission: Relinquished charge on August 1, 1966 *

Jacob D. Beam Jacob Dyneley Beam (March 24, 1908 – August 16, 1993) was an American diplomat. Life and career Beam was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His father was a German professor at Princeton University, and the younger Beam earned a bachelor's deg ...

– Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: May 27, 1966 **Presented credentials: August 31, 1966 **Terminated mission: Left post, March 5, 1969 *

Malcolm Toon Malcolm Toon (July 4, 1916 – February 12, 2009) was an American diplomat who served as a Foreign Service Officer in Moscow in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, during the Cold War, ultimately becoming the ambassador to the Soviet Union. Life Toon ...

– Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: May 13, 1969 **Presented credentials: July 31, 1969 **Terminated mission: Left post, October 11, 1971 *

Albert W. Sherer, Jr. Albert William Sherer Jr. (January 19, 1916 – December 27, 1986) was an American diplomat. Biography In 1938 he received a B.A. from Yale University and an LL.B. in 1941 from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1941 to ...

– Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: February 15, 1972 **Presented credentials: March 15, 1972 **Terminated mission: Left post, July 29, 1975 *

Thomas Ryan Byrne Thomas Ryan Byrne (February 4, 1923 – March 30, 2014) was an American historian, economist, career diplomat and United States Ambassador. He received a doctorate in history and a master's degree in economics at Georgetown University. He later w ...

– Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: May 1, 1976 **Presented credentials: June 23, 1976 **Terminated mission: Left post, November 15, 1978 * Francis J. Meehan – Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: March 23, 1979 **Presented credentials: May 30, 1979 **Terminated mission: Left post, October 20, 1980 * Jack F. Matlock, Jr. – Career FSOAn earlier nomination of September 25, 1980, was not acted upon by the Senate. **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: September 28, 1981 **Presented credentials: November 11, 1981 **Terminated mission: September 20, 1983 * William H. Luers – Career FSO **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: November 14, 1983 **Presented credentials: December 29, 1983 **Terminated mission: Left post, March 11, 1986 * Julian Niemczyk – Political appointee **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: August 18, 1986 **Presented credentials: October 2, 1986 **Terminated mission: Left post, July 7, 1989 *

Shirley Temple Black Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

– Political appointee **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: August 3, 1989 **Presented credentials: August 23, 1989 **Terminated mission: Left post, July 12, 1992 *

– Career FSOBasora remained in Prague as the ambassador to the Czech Republic when Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia **Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary **Appointed: June 15, 1992 **Presented credentials: July 20, 1992 **Terminated mission: December 31, 1992 *Note: The Czech and Slovak Federal Republic ceased to exist on December 31, 1992. For later ambassadors, see

United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic The diplomatic post of United States ambassador to the Czech Republic was created after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and the United States recognizing the new nation of the Czech Republic on January 1, 1993. In June 1992, the Slovak parli ...

and

United States Ambassador to Slovakia Until 1992 the Slovak Republic had been united with the Czech Republic as the nation of Czechoslovakia. Following World War II, a U.S. consulate was established in Bratislava, but the consulate was closed on May 27, 1950, on the order of the Cze ...

Notes

Sources

United States Department of State: Ambassadors to Czechoslovakia
*

External links

United States Embassy in Prague
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ambassadors of the United States to Czechoslovakia 1919 establishments in the United States 1992 disestablishments in the United States

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Ambassadors

See also

Notes

Sources

External links