The Foreign Service Journal, November 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2014 65 Based on insights honed dur- ing earlier assignments with various United Nations Trustees Committees, he was able to steer the formulation of U.S. foreign policy toward actively pro- moting the democratization of newly independent countries, rather than simply following the Western colonial powers or acceding to the influences of Cold War antagonists on the continent. He proved that size does not matter in diplomacy; proactive leadership in policy articulation is what counts. Amb. Todman considered himself a professional who served at the will of the president, regardless of political party affiliation. He developed strong professional and personal relations with both Republican and Democratic administrations and faithfully sup- ported the policy objectives of each. In this regard, he took his mother’s counsel beyond the confines of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In fact, he never short-circuited the system by claim- ing residence in a mainland state for federal voting privileges. The Duty to Give Counsel On more than one occasion, Amb. Todman strongly presented advice to the department, even when it ran counter to Washington thinking. He took the position that as a career dip- lomat, he had the duty to offer the best counsel in the furtherance of the execution of U.S. foreign policy. On one occasion, while working on certain issues as COM in Madrid, Amb. Todman encouraged Secretary of State George Shultz to visit Spain. Todman flew to Paris to meet the Secretary prior to the visit and, on reading the Secretary’s briefing book, was astonished to find that Washington had turned his recom- mendations on their head. As Amb. Todman tells the story in his oral history: “So when he got on the plane the next day, I said, ‘Mr. Secretary, they have set you up for disaster. If you follow what this book says, things will go very bad for your visit and for our relations.’ “‘Then what should I say?’ Shultz asked. “‘Go back to what I wrote,’ I said. And we went over again what I had said. “‘Well, okay, [if] you insist on this, I will do it,’ Shultz replied. ‘But, if it doesn’t work, it is your neck.’ “‘Of course,’ I said. ‘If I give you bad advice then I shouldn’t be here.’ “The people back in Washington who felt they knew all about it had just turned things around. Fortunately, Shultz followed [my] advice, and things went very well. At the end of it, Secre- tary Shultz said it was one of the best trips he’d taken.” Amb. Todman also recognized the essential role of the Foreign Service family. On one occasion, he took his younger son with him to a civic orga- nization where he was scheduled to speak. Explaining all of the parameters of the event on the way to the program, he sought his son’s advice and feedback on the planned presentation. When introduced to speak, Amb. Todman announced that his son had contrib- uted to the preparation of his presenta- tion; and, to his son’s utter surprise, he introduced the young man to make the presentation in his stead. As his sons eulogized Amb. Todman at his funeral in St. Thomas on Aug. 23, they eloquently summed up their father’s life mission by reading lyrics from the last verse of “The Unreachable Star” in Joe Darion’s musical, Man of la Mancha . In this song, Don Quixote explains his quest and the reason behind it: And I know if I’ll only be true, to this glorious quest, That my heart will lie peaceful and calm, When I’m laid to my rest ... And the world will be better for this: That one man, scorned and covered with scars, Still strove, with his last ounce of courage, To reach the unreachable star. n Ambassador and Mrs. Todman arriving for the ambassador’s 85th birthday gala on March 11, 2011, at the Frenchmen Reef Marriott Resort Hotel in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Terence Todman and Henry Kissinger in conversation. Courtesy of James Dandridge II Courtesy of James Dandridge II