William Walton Butterworth
Encyclopedia
William Walton Butterworth (September 7, 1903 – March 31, 1975) was a U.S.
diplomat. He was born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, September 7, 1903.
.
, graduating in 1925. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
, Butterworth was first secretary of the American Embassy in Madrid from 1942-44. Concurrently, he was in charge of operations for the United States Commercial Co. for the Iberian Peninsula
, a government entity that played war games by procuring strategic war materials, including tungsten
. From 1944-46 he was the U.S. Embassy counselor in Madrid. From 1946 to 1947, Mr. Butterworth served as the counselor of the U.S. Embassy in Nanking, China, where he held the rank of minister and was a political advisor to George Marshall
. Following his assignment in China, Butterworth returned as director for Far Eastern Affairs. He was appointed by General Marshall to be the Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs in 1950. Butterworth later served as U.S. ambassador to Sweden, U.S. representative to the European Coal and Steel Community
, U.S. representative to the European Economic Community
and European Atomic Energy Community
. Butterworth was appointed by President John F. Kennedy
to be U.S. Ambassador to Canada
. He was named a career ambassador on March 20, 1962, one of forty-six diplomats to hold the title. W.W. Butterworth retired in 1968 and died in 1975 of cirrhosis of the liver.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat. He was born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, September 7, 1903.
Biography
Butterworth is best known for his work on Asian-American foreign relations, particularly during the clash of the Communists and Nationalists in post-war China. He was also instrumental in laying the groundwork for the European Union via his work with the European Steel and Coal Communities, and European Economic CommunityEuropean Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
.
Education
Butterworth attended The Lawrenceville School where he graduated in 1921. He later attended Princeton UniversityPrinceton 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....
, graduating in 1925. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
Foreign Service
He entered the foreign service and began a career that encompassed 40 years of service. His career began with a one year stint at the State Department in Washington. From 1929 to 1931, he was the vice consul to the Embassy in Singapore. Following brief posts in Washington and Ottawa, he was assigned to the American Embassy in London, where he served as second secretary until 1941. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Butterworth was first secretary of the American Embassy in Madrid from 1942-44. Concurrently, he was in charge of operations for the United States Commercial Co. for the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, a government entity that played war games by procuring strategic war materials, including tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
. From 1944-46 he was the U.S. Embassy counselor in Madrid. From 1946 to 1947, Mr. Butterworth served as the counselor of the U.S. Embassy in Nanking, China, where he held the rank of minister and was a political advisor to George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
. Following his assignment in China, Butterworth returned as director for Far Eastern Affairs. He was appointed by General Marshall to be the Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs in 1950. Butterworth later served as U.S. ambassador to Sweden, U.S. representative to the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
, U.S. representative to the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
and European Atomic Energy Community
European Atomic Energy Community
The European Atomic Energy Community is an international organisation which is legally distinct from the European Union , but has the same membership, and is governed by the EU's institutions....
. Butterworth was appointed by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to be U.S. Ambassador to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was named a career ambassador on March 20, 1962, one of forty-six diplomats to hold the title. W.W. Butterworth retired in 1968 and died in 1975 of cirrhosis of the liver.