Francis Hallett Johnson (November 26, 1887 – August 11, 1968) was an American career diplomat and ambassador to Costa Rica.United States chiefs of mission, 1778–1982 – Page 349 He served in the United States Foreign Service for 36 years.
Early life Johnson was born in New York City. He was the son of Jeremiah Augustus Johnson (1836–1912), a diplomat and lawyer, and his second wife, Frances "Fannie" Valeda Matthews, who were married in 1886.Johnson, Hallett. "About the Author." Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. via HathiTrust. His father's first marriage had ended in tragedy when his wife and their daughter were killed by their son Barclay in a murder-suicide in 1885. He grew up in South Orange, New Jersey.
He was a student at Cutler's School, where he joined the Knickerbocker Greys youth cadet corps, which became Company K of the 7th Regiment.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 12-13. via HathiTrust. He also went to the Hotchkiss School, graduating in 1904. He attended Williams College, graduating in 1908. There, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (St. Anthony Hall) and leader of the mandolin club.Meyer, H. L. G . Catalog of the Members of the Fraternity of Delta Psi Revised and Corrected to July 1906. New York: Fraternity of Delta Psi, 1906. p. 221. via Google Books He was a member of the debating team and played on the tennis team. He was also a member of the Williams College Good Government Club which visited President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 42-44. via HathiTrust.
He attended the Columbia University School of Law, focusing on international law and graduating in 1912. While there, he lived in the Columbia chapter house of St. Anthony Hall for his second and third years.
Career After law school, Johnson became a lawyer in New York City with Davies, Auerbach, Cornell & Barry. On May 27, 1912, Johnson took the diplomatic service entrance exam in Washington, D.C. On June 18, 1912, the U.S. Department of State announce that Johnson was one of the successful candidates.
Great Britain
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In August 1912, President William Howard Taft appointed Johnson the third secretary at the London embassy. Johnson said, "When I received a telegram from the State Department assigning me as Third Secretary to the London Embassy, I could not resist accepting it. It was a particularly desirable post, and my father knew Whitelaw Reid, who was then Ambassador to Great Britain." At the time, the staff of the London embassy consisted of the first secretary, second secretary, third secretary, military and naval attaché, two clerks, and two messengers—meaning that his position was fairly significant.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 39. via HathiTrust. While in England, Johnson was presented to the King George V and Queen Mary, attended various royal affairs, and had an interesting conversation with Prince Albert.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 26. via HathiTrust.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 33-34. via HathiTrust.
In February 1913, newspapers in the United States, Canada, and England reported that 24-year-old Johnson was left in charge of the London embassy with just six months experience due to the death of first secretary Reid and the resignation of second secretary Cressen. This was of concern because Johnson would then have been responsible for negotiating treaties with Great Britain, including the six power loan to China and the Panama Canal free tolls. However, in his journal, Johnson wrote, "I was surprised to read in many English papers the other day the fact that I have been in charge of the Embassy for the last two months—in fact, ever since Mr. Reid's death. This state of things nearly did come to pass, for Mr. Laughlin received a telegram from Knox assuming that Cressen had taken leave, telling him that unless he was confirmed, which seemed very doubtful, he should turn the Embassy over to me on the 4th of March. Laughlin…received confirmation about a week before that date."Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 29. via HathiTrust.
Ottoman Empire In May 1914, he was transferred to the Constantinople embassy for the Ottoman Empire where he was also Third Secretary. He reported in Constantinople on July 4, 1914. This was on the eve of World War I and Turks was contemplating siding with Germany—Johnson noted the number of German soldiers in Turkish uniforms was increasing. Gradually, the other embassies closed, and most Americans left Constantinople, including Johnson's mother and sister. However, before America entered the war, Johnson was ordered to return to Washington, D.C., in 1915. Taking advantage of the recall to take some on leave, he attended a party at Sagamore Hill; there, former President Theodore Roosevelt asked him about Constantinople.
Chile and Bolivia Next, Johnson was sent to Santiago, Chile, arriving in August 1915. He wrote, "When the Ambassador Henry Fletcher found that I could not speak or type Spanish, in which he was fluent, he gave me 50 pages in Spanish to translate and type. When I came to, several weeks later, I knew something of both."Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 45-48. via HathiTrust. However, Fletcher was replaced with Ambassador Joseph Shea, who not only did not know Spanish, but also had no experience in diplomacy. As a result, Johnson did most of the work. In Chile, Johnson implemented what became his diplomacy strategy: "I have always found that one can do best if it is possible to make informal friends with the highest local officials." He befriended Juan, the son of Juan Louis Sanfuentes, president of Chile.
In the summer of 1917, Johnson was sent to La Paz, Bolivia for four months while the minister to Bolivia took leave. At , La Paz is the highest post in the world for U.S. diplomats, and it took a while to acclimate to the altitude. The saddle horse he brought from Peru died a few days after arriving in response to the thin air. After his summer in Bolivia, Johnson returned to Chile and resumed his duties.
Washington, D.C. In February 1918—after six years abroad—Johnson was transferred to Washington D.C. He became the acting chief of the division of Latin American Affairs for the Department of State.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 52. via HathiTrust. However, with responsibility for so many countries, he frequently worked into the night. He left this position in May 1920.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 57. via HathiTrust.
Belgium and Sweden In 1920, he became the first secretary of the embassy in Brussels, Belgium. While there, he dined with the Queen of Holland, the King and Queen of Spain.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 59. via HathiTrust. In early 1922, he was transferred to Stockholm, Sweden, where he was the first secretary of the American legation.
Spain However, he moved on to Madrid, Spain in 1923.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 79-82. via HathiTrust. Unfortunately, his working relationship with Ambassador Alexander P. Moore was strained—Johnson said that Moore, who had been married to the late Lillian Russell, was a name-dropper who "worshipped royalty and entertained them continually." In addition, Johnson wrote that Moore "was not interested in work," and on top of that was rude to his wife. The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs also disliked Moore and bypassed the ambassador to negotiate the renewal of the United States commerce agreement and tariffs with Johnson. Johnson also benefited from the ambassador's frequent trips to Paris or the United States as he received invitations to entertainments and dinners at the Royal Palace. In the summer, the diplomatic corps left Madrid for San Sebastián on the sea.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 84. via Hath Trust.
France In 1924, he became the first secretary of the American embassy in Paris, France.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 86. via HathiTrust. Johnson wrote, "The work was fascinating, covering the European situation resulting from the postwar treaties. I received a commendation from Washington for a long summary of all the treaties France had been a party to since the end of World War I. While in Paris he also had some experiences with American celebrities. After Charles Lindbergh completed his solo flight across the Atlantic, he frequently dined with Johnson.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 87. via HathiTrust. Johnson was also the bride's witness for the marriage of movie star Gloria Swanson and the Marquis De La Falaise De La Coudray on January 28, 1925.
Norway In August 1927, he was transferred from Paris, to Oslo, Norway where he was also the first secretary. Johnson said, "My work in Norway was interesting but not exciting. One of my principal reports went into great detail to show that Norwegian socialism was a comparatively healthy national brand and had no relationship or communication with Communist Russia."Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 95. via HathiTrust.
Netherlands In August 1929, he was assigned to serve as the counselor to the legation at The Hague in the Netherlands. A counselor ranks next to the ambassador and is the chargé d'affaires in the ambassador's absence. With its location in the Netherlands, the embassy was a "listening post" for Europe.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 98. via HathiTrust. Johnson noted that Queen Wilhelmina was serious, formal, and "the only woman I remember who completely scared me."Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 101. via HathiTrust. Her consort, Prince Henry, was friendly and casual.
Republic of Spain In December 1933, he was transferred from The Hague, becoming a counselor for the United States embassy in Madrid, Spain. Since his previous post in Spain, the country had become a republic.Johnson, Hallett. Diplomatic Memoirs: Serious And Frivolous. New York: Vantage Press, 1963. p. 106. via HathiTrust. This time, the ambassador was Claude Bowers, a Jeffersonian Democrat who supported the Republic even though it was corrupt, and had no use for General Francisco Franco. Johnson said, "I wrote the political dispatches until the Franco movement began, but since I tried to see the situation objectively, Bowers became dissatisfied with my reporting and took over these dispatches himself. He was impregnated with such a strong bias in favor of the Republicans that there is an inevitable distortion in some of his writings covering the period."