Detailed Examination of US Foreign Service and Bilateral Diplomacy

This report provides an analysis of the US Foreign Service and diplomacy, examining its historical development and contemporary functions. It begins with a historical overview, tracing the evolution of the Foreign Service from its early days to the establishment of the Rogers Act and the subsequent professionalization of the service. The report then delves into the core missions of the Foreign Service, including representation, operations, and policy, highlighting their significance for the country. Furthermore, it explores the structure of the State Department and the features that distinguish the Foreign Service from civil services. The report also examines bilateral diplomacy, its historical roots, and the principles established by the French system and the Vienna Convention. The document covers the key aspects of the Foreign Service and diplomacy, offering insights into their roles and significance in international relations.

Foreign Service and
Diplomacy
Student's Name:
Student's ID:

1
Table of Contents
History.............................................................................................................................................2
Foreign Service................................................................................................................................2
Foreign Service today......................................................................................................................3
Bilateral Diplomacy.........................................................................................................................3

2
History
The chapter summarized that mistrust of both the Foreign Service and the state department was
the product of the history of Foreign Service. American diplomacy secured the French support
for military victory and developed a professional structure at West Point in 1802 and at Naval
Academy in 1845. Wilson was the first secretary of the United States who decided to keep the
foreign policy decisions neutral due to the war in 1914 in Europe. The modern Foreign Service
starts with the establishment of the Rogers act on 24th May 1924. Due to the Rogers Act, the
service became more professional, and the members failed to acquire specialized skills that
demanded international interests. Foreign Commerce Service (FCS) and the Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS) was established but it got closed due to war in 1939. Military, CIA and USAID
were combined by the Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development program which
consisted of more than 400 Foreign Service officers. CORDs seemed to a turning point in the
career as well as the lives of the officers. Under the Civil service reform act, the agency of the
U.S. for the international department could use the Foreign Service personnel system for
carrying out the functions that need service overseas.
Foreign Service
The chapter evaluated the fact that foreign Service is required to make sense of the globe,
understand, protect and promote the interests and shape events. It represents the government of
the U.S. in 260 missions abroad and carries out foreign policies. There are three missions of the
Foreign Service, which includes representation, operations and policy. Representation is the
official entertaining, and the government offers a notably small allowance. Operations refer to
the ground of the Foreign Service that deals with populations, execute U.S. laws and protects the
citizens of America. The policy is placed for foreign affairs and in project risks. Hence, all three
missions of the service are essential for the country. The service distrusts as an institution by
President Nixon as its spirit and culture shape the members. There were seven events, along with
decisions that played a significant role in making the service. Diplomacy is the profession of the
Foreign Service and the open for all. The professionals in the service experienced in negotiation,
analysis, reporting and communication. The career in the service is like a good limerick that
means contain unpredictable content.

3
Foreign Service today
The chapter revealed that four features helps in distinguishing the Foreign Service from civil
services such as rank in person, worldwide availability, up or out and early retirement. State
Department can be better understood by a visit to the building that is hierarchical in shape. The
pyramid of state's hierarchy fits into the cube of the main state building in many ways. The first
is the high ranking officials have large offices that hold two dozen staffs on the third floor. The
second is that the pyramid is not steep, and the third is that the cube is not so big for holding the
pyramid. Lawrence Eagleburger was nominated as the secretary of the state from December
1992 to January 1993 to hold the office. 57,000 people among which 19,000 are the citizens of
America and 38,000 are foreign staff were employed by the department of state. Apart from the
Department of State, there are several agencies where Foreign Service members work like U.S
agency for global development. The commercial interests of the nation are protected by foreign
commercial services that also promote the export of goods or services.
Bilateral Diplomacy
The chapter critically reflected that bilateral diplomacy refers to the communication limited to
two parties at one time and signifies about the context in which communication takes place. The
responsibility of diplomacy was placed in the hands of nunclus in the middle age. The French
system of diplomacy overturn the controversial scheme at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, laid
down by the Pope in 1504. The system adopted critical principles that provide no place to deceit
in diplomacy. Professionalization of diplomacy was the essential feature of the French system
that includes proper training, regular payment and clear ranks. However, the professional feature
of diplomacy was a slow process. The community of diplomats represents various states those
residing in the same capital is known as diplomatic corps. Under the French system, the
diplomats recognized that they had professional interests rather than political and commercial
interests. Vienna convention on diplomatic relations 1961 clarify, tighten, refine the content and
relaunch to codify the customary law on diplomacy. A move towards the codification of law in
diplomacy began in the late nineteenth century. Vienna convention has a functional approach
that lists the proper functions of a diplomatic mission.