Darryl N. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Darryl Norman Johnson (born 1938) is a retired American
statesman and career Foreign Service Officer who held many positions in American government around the world. Most recently and importantly he was the United States Ambassador to Thailand
from 2001–2004. He now lives near Seattle, WA and is a lecturer at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Washington
, where he teaches in its Jackson School of International Studies
.
in Tacoma, and the University of Washington in Seattle, from which he received his BA (Cum Laude) in English Literature in 1960.
At the University of Washington he was a member of the academic honor societies for Military Science, Music and Literature, and was admitted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society
in 1960. Following graduation he attended the University of Minnesota
and Princeton University
and worked several months at the Boeing Company in Seattle during and after his university studies. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand (1962–65) before joining the Foreign Service.
Mr. Johnson served as the first American Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania, having arrived in Vilnius in September, 1991, to open the first post-World War II U.S. Mission in that country. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland (1988–91), and before that in Beijing (1984–87), Moscow (1974–77), Hong Kong (1969–73), and Bombay (1966–67). In addition, he served in the Department of State in Washington, D.C., as Officer-in-Charge of Yugoslav Affairs (1977–79), Officer-in-Charge of People's Republic of China Affairs (1979–81), as a Pearson Fellow in the Office of Senator Claiborne Pell
(D-RI) (1981–82), and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs (1982–84). In the latter position, his responsibilities included East European, Soviet, and East Asian/Pacific Affairs during the tenure of the then Under Secretary, Lawrence Eagleburger
.
. Ambassador Johnson also participates at various speaking engagements in the Seattle area, many of which relate to the Peace Corps
and to the United States Foreign Service. He has published op-eds in several major newspapers regarding politics in Thailand, including the Los Angeles Times
and the Seattle Times.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statesman and career Foreign Service Officer who held many positions in American government around the world. Most recently and importantly he was the United States Ambassador to Thailand
United States Ambassador to Thailand
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Thailand.Thailand has had continuous bilateral relations with the United States since 1882. Relations were interrupted during World War II when Bangkok was occupied by Japanese forces. Normal relations were resumed after the war in 1945.The...
from 2001–2004. He now lives near Seattle, WA and is a lecturer at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, where he teaches in its Jackson School of International Studies
Jackson School of International Studies
The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies is a school within the University of Washington's College of Arts and Sciences, in Seattle, Washington. The school's name honors Henry M. Jackson, a former U.S. Senator from the state of Washington....
.
Early life
Mr. Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1938, and grew up in suburban Seattle, Washington. He attended public schools there, graduating in 1956, and went on to attend the University of Puget SoundUniversity of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
in Tacoma, and the University of Washington in Seattle, from which he received his BA (Cum Laude) in English Literature in 1960.
At the University of Washington he was a member of the academic honor societies for Military Science, Music and Literature, and was admitted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
in 1960. Following graduation he attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and worked several months at the Boeing Company in Seattle during and after his university studies. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand (1962–65) before joining the Foreign Service.
Foreign Service Career
Mr. Johnson had a long and distinguished career as a United States Foreign Service officer, with extensive experience in East European and Asian affairs. Among other assignments, he served on the Bosnia Task Force in Washington and as Charge of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo in April 1996. Before that, he was Senior Advisor to Madeline Albright, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and before that, was Deputy Coordinator for Assistance to the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union.Mr. Johnson served as the first American Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania, having arrived in Vilnius in September, 1991, to open the first post-World War II U.S. Mission in that country. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland (1988–91), and before that in Beijing (1984–87), Moscow (1974–77), Hong Kong (1969–73), and Bombay (1966–67). In addition, he served in the Department of State in Washington, D.C., as Officer-in-Charge of Yugoslav Affairs (1977–79), Officer-in-Charge of People's Republic of China Affairs (1979–81), as a Pearson Fellow in the Office of Senator Claiborne Pell
Claiborne Pell
Claiborne de Borda Pell was a United States Senator from Rhode Island, serving six terms from 1961 to 1997, and was best known as the sponsor of the Pell Grant, which provides financial aid funding to U.S. college students. A Democrat, he was that state's longest serving senator.-Early years:Pell...
(D-RI) (1981–82), and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs (1982–84). In the latter position, his responsibilities included East European, Soviet, and East Asian/Pacific Affairs during the tenure of the then Under Secretary, Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
.
Post-Foreign Service
In his capacity as lecturer at the University of Washington, Ambassador Johnson teaches a class called "Practicing American Foreign Policy", and also advises undergraduate students on their Qualifying Papers, an extended writing assignment of approximately 25 pages that is required by the Jackson School for graduation. This teaching position at the University of Washington has previously been held by former U.S. diplomats Ronald Woods and Charles T. CrossCharles T. Cross
Charles T. "Chuck" Cross was an American career diplomat and ambassador who held many positions in American government around the world. He served as the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong, 1974-77, and was the second United States Ambassador to Singapore, serving from 1969 to 1972...
. Ambassador Johnson also participates at various speaking engagements in the Seattle area, many of which relate to the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
and to the United States Foreign Service. He has published op-eds in several major newspapers regarding politics in Thailand, including the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and the Seattle Times.
Personal
Mr. Johnson is the father of one daughter and two sons. He is married to the former Kathleen Desa Forance. In addition to English he speaks Chinese (Mandarin), Polish, Russian, Thai and Lithuanian.External links
- Discussion with Ambassador Johnson on events in Thailand and implications for U.S. policy toward Southeast Asia (The National Bureau of Asian Research, May 14, 2010)
- A Life Abroad: For Foreign Service Officers, the World is their Office (University of Washington Arts and Sciences Newsletter, Summer 2007)
- An unclassified State Department diplomatic cable written by Ambassador Johnson from Thailand (U.S. Department of State)
- Ambassador Johnson gives opening remarks to Thai diplomats and University of Washington professors and administrators at a Seattle event (Youtube video)
- Text of a security agreement between Thailand and the United States that was agreed to during Ambassador Johnson's tenure (U.S. Department of State)