Alfred L. Jenkins

Alfred L. Jenkins
President Lyndon B. Johnson
President Richard Nixon
Personal details
Born September 14, 1916
Died May 18, 2000 (aged 83)[1]
Sterling, Virginia
Citizenship USA
Nationality USA
Occupation U.S. Diplomat
Committees National Security Council Senior Staff
Military service
Service/branch American Foreign Service
Years of service 1946 to 1974

Alfred L. Jenkins was an American diplomat, lecturer and author, born September 14, 1916 in Manchester, Georgia.[2][3] He is a political authority on Chinese-American relations and served under Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Jenkins has been called "Mr. China" [4] and participated in Sino-American relations for more than twenty years.[5]

Early life and education

Jenkins graduated from Emory University in 1938 and Duke University with an M.Ed. in 1976.[2] He was also a student at the University of Chicago's National War College.[2] National College of Chiropractic 1986.[6]

Career

He served in the American Foreign Service from 1946 to 1974 before becoming a freelance writer.[2] Jenkins served in China from 1946 to 1955. He was a member of the U.S. National Security Council from 1966 to 1969.[2] Jenkins was the senior inspector of the U.S. State Department Foreign Service and a member of the National Security Council Senior Staff of President Lyndon B. Johnson.[4] He often submitted memos directly to the President[7] and was, at times, critical of current American policy towards China which was focused on trade, travel and U.N. representation rather than its possible involvement in the Asia-Pacific region (including Vietnam).[8]

Under the Richard Nixon administration he was the director of the State Department's Office of Asian Communist Affairs.[3][9][10] In 1970 he traveled to Paris to exchange information with the French and British concerning affairs with China.[11] He traveled with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on an unpublicized diplomatic mission to China in October 1971.[5] Jenkins advised Kissinger and President Nixon on all Chinese diplomatic relations [12] and was instrumental in planning the U.S.’s Chinese missions.[13] His insights into Chinese-American relations gave him a key role in Nixon’s historical diplomatic mission and visit to China in February 1972.[4] Jenkins was considered Kissinger's "right-hand man" and had final responsibility for drafting the secret "Talking Papers," which served as a guide for U.S. negotiations with China.[4]

In 1972 Jenkins was a speaker at a symposium held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and hosted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He was given the Superior Service Award by the U.S. State Department in 1973.[2] Jenkins was the Chief Liaison Officer in Peking, China from 1973 to 1974 before becoming a professional lecturer and writer.[2] In 1975 he appeared on the NBC TV show Tomorrow and channel KSCI in Los Angeles, California to discuss Transcendental Meditation.[2] He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Maharishi International University (now named Maharishi University of Management) for three years.[14]

In 1993 Jenkins published an autobiography called: Country, Conscience and Caviar: A Diplomat's Journey in the Company of History.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Social Security Death Index". Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Alfred Lesesne Jenkins papers 1951-1980, Emory University Archives #681
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Author Unknown, Cities and Counties:Baxley, The New Georgia Encyclopedia,
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Meng, Mark (1994) Reed Business Information, St. John’s University Library
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kissenger's Second Visit to China Source: Xin zhongguo waijiao fengyun, vol. 3, pp. 59-70.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Unknown Author, Country, Conscience and Caviar: A Diplomat's Journey in the Company of History Amazon
  7. ↑ Bogle, Lori, (2001) Routledge, National Security Policy Planning from Truman to Reagan, Page 262
  8. ↑ Clifford, J. Garr and Wilson, Theodore A. (2007) Presidents, Diplomats, and Other Mortals, page 160
  9. ↑ Szulc, Tad (Feb 17, 1972) President Leaves on Trip to China; Stops in Hawaii, New York Times
  10. ↑ Lewine, Francis (Mar 23, 1973) Kissenger’s Team Talented/Versatile, Spokane Daily Chronicle
  11. ↑ Platt, Nicholas (2009) China Boys: How U. S. Relations with the Prc Began and Grew: A Personal Memoir
  12. ↑ Goldberg, Philip (2010). American Veda—How Indian Spirituality Changed the West. New York: Crown Publishing/Random House. pp. 163–165. ISBN 978-0-385-52134-5.
  13. ↑ Daly, Dick (Nov 12, 1974) American diplomat to China, Alfred Jenkins, discusses politics in China MPR Archive
  14. ↑ DILLEY, JOHN R. (December 10, 1975). "TM Comes to the Heartland of the Midwest". The Christian Century. pp. 1129–1132.

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