WRITER, SCHOLAR
The Shultz Archive
Philip Taubman consulted a wide range of archival documents and historical sources to write In The Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz. Taubman benefited from exclusive access to Secretary Shultz's papers at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, along with photos, videos and written materials from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and beyond. Here are some of the resources that Taubman used to build his book.
With (left to right) former Defense Secretary William Perry; former Senator Sam Nunn; Shultz; and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, May 19, 2009, George Pratt Shultz papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
George Pratt Shultz papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Source: George P. Shultz Personal Photo Album.
With (left to right) former Defense Secretary William Perry; former Senator Sam Nunn; Shultz; and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, May 19, 2009, George Pratt Shultz papers, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Excerpts from the
Diary of Raymond G. H. Seitz
Seitz worked as the executive assistant to George Shultz during the first years of his time as Secretary of State. His diary records Shultz's hopes, frustrations and conversations in vivid detail. Philip Taubman's exclusive access to the diary was an invaluable resource. The highlighted portions are included in the book.
Videos
George Shultz was no stranger to the White House when he became Secretary of State in 1982. Still, his perceived lack of experience dealing with foreign policy issues stirred doubts among members of previous administrations, including former President Richard Nixon, that he would succeed. Shultz nonetheless promised in his swearing-in ceremony speech that he would "muster every ounce of energy and intelligence and dedication I could and pour all of it into performance in this job." (Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library)
As talks during the 1988 Moscow Summit wound down, General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev invited President Ronald Reagan to join him on a walk in the Red Square. George Shultz did not join the world leaders but played a critical role in orchestrating the outing. (Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library)
Excerpts from the
Diary of Ronald Reagan
Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
In 1986, the surprise arrest of American journalist Nicholas Daniloff in Moscow generated an instant crisis in U.S.-Soviet relations. In a flurry of memoranda and conversations with President Ronald Reagan, Shultz outlined a careful choreography to get Daniloff out of jail.
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume V: 1101-1103
As Washington and Moscow were negotiating about the release of American journalist Nicholas Daniloff, Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev proposed an impromptu summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. Secretary of State George Shultz briefed President Ronald Reagan about the summit.
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume V: 1240-1241
White House Memoranda
Soviet and American senior intelligence officials had never dined face-to-face until a gathering at the Maison Blanche restaurant in Washington, 1987, amid planning for a summit in the capital later that year. That night, the spymasters warily joked with each other, exchanged barbs and discussed substantive issues.
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume VI: 595-601
President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met at the Kremlin in 1988, an event that Secretary of State George Shultz found to be a watershed moment in U.S.-Soviet relations. The warm conversations between the two leaders renewed hope for a thawing of the cold war.
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981-1988, Volume VI: 1044-1052