Amos J. Peaslee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 6thUnited States Ambassador to Australia | |
| In office August 12, 1953 – February 16, 1956 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Pete Jarman |
| Succeeded by | Douglas M. Moffat |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 24, 1887 Clarksboro,New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | August 30, 1969 (aged 82) Manhattan,New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Friends' Central School Swarthmore College Columbia University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army United States Navy |
| Years of service | World War I World War II |
| Rank | Major Commander |
Amos Jenkins Peaslee II (March 24, 1887 – August 30, 1969) was an American politician, military official, author and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador toAustralia underPresident of the United StatesDwight D. Eisenhower.[1][2][3]
Peaslee served as aUnited States Army Major inWorld War I and as Commander in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II. An international lawyer, he was president of theAmerican Peace Society and played a role in writing theCharter of the United Nations.[4]
Peaslee was born inClarksboro, New Jersey in 1887 to aQuaker family. A graduate ofFriends' Central School (and later chair of its board), he enrolled inSwarthmore College in the fall of 1904 with the class of 1908, but ultimately moved up a year to graduate with the class of 1907.[5] He graduated from law school atColumbia University in 1911 and was a member of theAmerican Bar Association.[6]
Peaslee enlisted in the United States Army after graduation from law school, ultimately attaining the rank of Major. In March 1918, Army GeneralJohn J. Pershing authorized Peaslee to organize theSilver Greyhounds, the first U.S. diplomaticcourier service, to carry sensitive correspondence betweenParis andWashington, D.C. during World War One and the U.S.-led peace efforts that followed.[7] Peaslee retained an original copy of theTreaty of Versailles which was later donated to theU.S. Department of State archives.
During World War II, Peaslee was a Commander in the United States Navy, training coast guardsmen in sabotage prevention techniques.
He became involved in national politics in 1948, working onHarold Stassen’s presidential campaign. In 1952, he played a role in Dwight Eisenhower's campaign for the presidency. Peaslee was a three-time delegate to theRepublican National Convention and an active participant inRepublican politics.
Peaslee was nominated by President Eisenhower and confirmed by theUnited States Senate to the post of U.S. Ambassador to Australia, serving from 1953 until 1956. From 1956 until 1959, he served as a Deputy Special Assistant to President Eisenhower at theWhite House, specializing in areas of international law. Peaslee was influential in setting U.S. policy with respect to the regulation ofarmaments andatomic energy, serving as the vice chairman of the U.S. delegation at theLondon disarmament discussion and as a U.S. advisor to the delegation to theUnited Nations.[8]
Peaslee went on to compile and edit a multi-volume work entitledThe Constitutions of Nations - the first full compilation of everynational constitution translated into theEnglish language.
