US EMBASSIES OF THE COLD WAR

Peterson’s history explores the world of diplomacy, power, and democracy.

After World War II, one of the biggest perceived international threats was the rise of the Soviet Union and communism. In response, U.S. embassies built during the Cold War worked to celebrate and exemplify the virtues of democracy. Over 25 embassies were built during this period and, through an illustrated history of this architectural epoch, Peterson focuses on 12 of them, telling their stories chronologically. Beginning with the 1948 Harrison & Abramovitz–designed embassy in Rio de Janeiro and ending with the embassy in Dublin designed by John Johansen in 1957, the reader learns each building’s context, the story of its architect and design choices, as well as the critical reception. Perhaps most interesting is Peterson’s attention to the fate of the buildings: While the building in Dublin is still a working embassy, the one in Karachi was downgraded to a consulate hardly a year after it opened in 1960. Each chapter is fascinating (if sometimes a little formulaic), but the stories behind these embassies and Peterson’s lucid writing connect the threads of every building project to highlight how cultural diplomacy informed each one to become “symbols of American progress and technology, built in an era when the world admired American values and culture.” With its informative introduction and plethora of color photos, we learn, perhaps surprisingly, that the embassies were once sites of exhibitions and concerts. Most impressive is Peterson’s honesty in recounting the history surrounding these buildings: He does not shy from pointing out the hypocrisy of the United States espousing democracy abroad during the Cold War while civil rights of African Americans, for example, were violated at home. Peterson also calls attention to the flaws in some of these building designs. Though primarily concerned with the Cold War period, Peterson’s writing resonates with contemporary concerns in international diplomacy, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, firmly establishing that the importance of the American embassies covered in this book does not end with the turn of the 20th century.

A unique architectural history well suited for enthusiasts of American history and international relations.