John Carter Vincent
Encyclopedia
John Carter Vincent was an American diplomat
, Foreign Service Officer
, and China Hand
. Born in Seneca, Kansas,Vincent graduated from Mercer University
in 1923 and was appointed Foreign Service Officer
in the same year. He then served in Changsha, Hankow, Swatow, Peking, Mukden, Nanking, and Dairen, before becoming Counsellor to the American Embassy in Chongqing in 1942. He became Director of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs in 1945, then Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary to Switzerland, 1947-51. He was diplomatic agent in Tangier 1951-52 , before being forced to resign from the Foreign Service in 1952. He retired to Cambridge, Massachusetts and died there in 1972.
on a state visit to the Soviet Union and Chongqing in June, 1944, he helped to persuade the Generalissimo to finally grant permission for the Dixie Mission
, which opened contact with the Communist base areas. Vincent and the China Hands also argued that the Chinese Communists had their own genuine domestic roots that might trump any ideological loyalty to the USSR, as was occurring at the time with Tito's Yugoslavia. The defenders of the China Hands argued that it was exactly this perspective in China policy that Nixon and Kissinger began to implement in 1972.
. Budenz testified in the summer of 1951 that Vincent had been a member of the Communist Party. Budenz, however, indicated he had no personal knowledge of this, basing his opinion on what he had overheard other party leaders say about Vincent, in the context of expressing their hostility to the anti-communism
of Ambassador Patrick Hurley, whom they thought Vincent could replace.
Similar accusations were made against all the China Hands, based on their allegations of ineptitude and corruption of Chiang Kai Shek's regime. After having been cleared by numerous administrative security panels of any disloyalty, in December 1952 the Civil Service Loyalty Review Board by a one vote margin found reasonable doubt regarding Vincent's loyalty and in 1953 Secretary Dulles
requested Vincent's resignation. Dean Acheson
, Truman's Secretary of State, as he had with Alger Hiss
, steadfastly defended Vincent. Acheson felt that Vincent, like the China Hands generally, was being unfairly and demagogically maligned for honestly conveying inconvenient facts and tried to intervene with Dulles to save Vincent's career.
He died on December 3, 1972.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, Foreign Service Officer
Foreign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
, and China Hand
China Hands
The term China Hand originally referred to 19th-century merchants in the treaty ports of China, but evolved to reflect anyone with expert knowledge of the language, culture, and people of China...
. Born in Seneca, Kansas,Vincent graduated from Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
in 1923 and was appointed Foreign Service Officer
Foreign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
in the same year. He then served in Changsha, Hankow, Swatow, Peking, Mukden, Nanking, and Dairen, before becoming Counsellor to the American Embassy in Chongqing in 1942. He became Director of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs in 1945, then Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary to Switzerland, 1947-51. He was diplomatic agent in Tangier 1951-52 , before being forced to resign from the Foreign Service in 1952. He retired to Cambridge, Massachusetts and died there in 1972.
Wartime Activities
Vincent was among the China Hands who wanted to gather intelligence from and provide materiel to the Communist Armies, then at least theoretically under Chiang's command, as part of the Allied coalition for a future invasion of Japan. When he accompanied Vice-President Henry WallaceHenry Wallace
Henry or Harry Wallace may refer to:*Henry A. Wallace , U.S. Vice President 1941-1945, presidential candidate for the Progressive Party 1948**Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center...
on a state visit to the Soviet Union and Chongqing in June, 1944, he helped to persuade the Generalissimo to finally grant permission for the Dixie Mission
Dixie Mission
The United States Army Observation Group, commonly known as the Dixie Mission, was the first U.S. effort to establish official relations with the Communist Party of China and the People's Liberation Army, then headquartered in the mountainous city of Yan'an...
, which opened contact with the Communist base areas. Vincent and the China Hands also argued that the Chinese Communists had their own genuine domestic roots that might trump any ideological loyalty to the USSR, as was occurring at the time with Tito's Yugoslavia. The defenders of the China Hands argued that it was exactly this perspective in China policy that Nixon and Kissinger began to implement in 1972.
End of career
In 1951 Vincent attacked by Senator Joseph McCarthy and accused of having been a member of the Communist Party by former Party activist Louis F. BudenzLouis F. Budenz
Louis Francis Budenz was an American activist and writer, as well as a Soviet espionage agent and head of the Buben group of spies. He began as a labor activist and became a member of the Communist Party USA...
. Budenz testified in the summer of 1951 that Vincent had been a member of the Communist Party. Budenz, however, indicated he had no personal knowledge of this, basing his opinion on what he had overheard other party leaders say about Vincent, in the context of expressing their hostility to the anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
of Ambassador Patrick Hurley, whom they thought Vincent could replace.
Similar accusations were made against all the China Hands, based on their allegations of ineptitude and corruption of Chiang Kai Shek's regime. After having been cleared by numerous administrative security panels of any disloyalty, in December 1952 the Civil Service Loyalty Review Board by a one vote margin found reasonable doubt regarding Vincent's loyalty and in 1953 Secretary Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
requested Vincent's resignation. Dean Acheson
Dean Acheson
Dean Gooderham Acheson was an American statesman and lawyer. As United States Secretary of State in the administration of President Harry S. Truman from 1949 to 1953, he played a central role in defining American foreign policy during the Cold War...
, Truman's Secretary of State, as he had with Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer. He was involved in the establishment of the United Nations both as a U.S. State Department and U.N. official...
, steadfastly defended Vincent. Acheson felt that Vincent, like the China Hands generally, was being unfairly and demagogically maligned for honestly conveying inconvenient facts and tried to intervene with Dulles to save Vincent's career.
He died on December 3, 1972.