Peter Bridges
Encyclopedia
Peter Scott Bridges is an author and was the United States ambassador to Somalia
from 1984 to 1986.
, the son of Charles Scott Bridges and Shirley Amélie Devlin Bridges, and grew up in Illinois
.
In 1949, he graduated from Hinsdale Township High School
in Illinois. In 1953, Bridges received a B.A. from Dartmouth College
and in 1955, a Ford Foundation graduate scholarship, M.A., and the Certificate of the Russian Institute from Columbia University
.
, France
. He was commissioned as a career U.S. Foreign Service officer in 1957. During three decades in the Foreign Service he served in the Department of State as director of the offices of Performance Evaluation, United Nations
political affairs, and Eastern European affairs, and as deputy executive secretary of the Department; as an international-relations officer in the U.S. Arms Control & Disarmament Agency; and as the executive secretary of the Treasury Department. He served overseas in the American embassies at Panama
(1959–1961), Moscow
(1962–1964), Prague
(1971–1974), Rome
(1966–1971 and 1981–1984, when he was Deputy Chief of Mission), and finally Mogadishu
. As the American ambassador to Somalia in 1984-1986, Bridges supervised one of the largest U.S. civilian and military aid programs in Sub-Sahara
Africa
, and was highly praised by President Ronald Reagan
on retiring from government in 1986.
After leaving government service Bridges worked successively as the executive director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation in Washington, the manager international affairs of Shell Oil Company
in Houston, and the resident representative in the Czech Republic of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development.
He is a regular contributor to the online California Literary Reviewhttp://calitreview.com/.
United States Ambassador to Somalia
Somalia was formed July 1, 1960, from the unification of the British protectorate of Somaliland with Italian Somaliland. The United States immediately recognized the Somali government and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The U.S. Embassy in the capital Mogadiscio was established on July...
from 1984 to 1986.
Personal
Bridges was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, the son of Charles Scott Bridges and Shirley Amélie Devlin Bridges, and grew up in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
In 1949, he graduated from Hinsdale Township High School
Hinsdale Central High School
Hinsdale Central High School, or HCHS is a public four-year high school located at the corner of W. 55th St. and S. Grant St. in Hinsdale, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Founded in 1879, the school is well known for its large spending per student, academic...
in Illinois. In 1953, Bridges received a B.A. from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and in 1955, a Ford Foundation graduate scholarship, M.A., and the Certificate of the Russian Institute from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Career
After enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1955, Bridges served in the 97th Engineer Battalion in VerdunVerdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was commissioned as a career U.S. Foreign Service officer in 1957. During three decades in the Foreign Service he served in the Department of State as director of the offices of Performance Evaluation, United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
political affairs, and Eastern European affairs, and as deputy executive secretary of the Department; as an international-relations officer in the U.S. Arms Control & Disarmament Agency; and as the executive secretary of the Treasury Department. He served overseas in the American embassies at Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
(1959–1961), Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
(1962–1964), Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(1971–1974), Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(1966–1971 and 1981–1984, when he was Deputy Chief of Mission), and finally Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
. As the American ambassador to Somalia in 1984-1986, Bridges supervised one of the largest U.S. civilian and military aid programs in Sub-Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and was highly praised by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on retiring from government in 1986.
After leaving government service Bridges worked successively as the executive director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation in Washington, the manager international affairs of Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
in Houston, and the resident representative in the Czech Republic of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development.
Publications
Bridges is the author of Safirka: An American Envoy (Kent State University Press, 2000), a memoir of his experiences in Somalia, and Pen of Fire: John Moncure Daniel (Kent State, 2002), the first biography of the American diplomat and Confederate editor. He has contributed articles, essays, including on his life as a diplomat and walking tours throughout Italy, and reviews to- The Christian Science MonitorThe Christian Science MonitorThe Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, - Diplomacy & Statecraft,
- Foreign Service Journal,
- Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe 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....
, - Michigan Quarterly Review,
- Notes & Records of the Royal Society of London,
- Virginia Quarterly Review
He is a regular contributor to the online California Literary Reviewhttp://calitreview.com/.
External links
- Bridges' contributions to American Diplomacy
- Bridges' contributions to California Literary Review
- Bridges' contributions to Virginia Quarterly Review
- Bridges, Peter. "A Long-Distance Londoner." (PDF) Notes & Records of the Royal Society of London 52 (1): 121-129 (1998).
- Bridges, Peter. "Safirka: The Envoy in Somalia." Michigan Quarterly Review 38 (1): 1-21 (Winter 1998).