Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972

298. Memorandum From President Nixon to his Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, February 14, 1969.

Jim Linen also leaned hard on the fact that Graham Martin was now “in pasture” as Dean of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. He says that Martin fell out of favor because of his opposition to McNamara’s positions and because he was not in step with some of the State Department’s Asia hands.

I have great personal confidence in Graham Martin and believe he should be brought back into the foreign service. I think he would be an excellent appointment for Tokyo, Bonn or Pakistan if he would accept one of these. If you think well of this suggestion put this in the form of a memo from me to Rogers. My purpose here, among others, is not to let the State Department play its usual game of promoting their favorites and kicking out those who may disagree with their policies from time to time.²

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Staff Member and Office Files, President’s Personal Files, RN Memos, 1968–Dec 1969, #1 Feb ’69. No classification marking. Printed from an unsigned copy.
2. Nixon appointed Martin Ambassador to Italy in September 1969. He served until February 1973 and then in June 1973 was appointed Ambassador to Vietnam.