Hugh H. Smythe

Hugh Heyne Smythe (August 19, 1913 – June 22, 1977) was an American author, sociologist, diplomat and professor. He was an authority on African anthropology and East Asian studies. He served as the United States Ambassador to Syria from 1965 to 1967 and United States Ambassador to Malta from 1967 to 1969.

Hugh H. Smythe
United States Ambassador to Malta
In office
December 29, 1967  August 16, 1969
PresidentLyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Preceded byGeorge Joseph Feldman
Succeeded byJohn C. Pritzlaff, Jr.
United States Ambassador to Syria
In office
October 28, 1965  June 8, 1967
PresidentLyndon Johnson
Preceded byRidgway Brewster Knight
Succeeded byThomas James Scotes
Personal details
Born
Hugh Heyne Smythe

(1913-08-19)August 19, 1913
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJune 22, 1977(1977-06-22) (aged 63)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Spouse(s)
(m. 1939)
Alma materVirginia State University
Atlanta University
Northwestern University
ProfessionDiplomat, professor, sociologist

Smythe was the tenth African-American U.S. ambassador and the first to a Middle Eastern country. His tenure coincided with the Six-Day War and the severing of diplomatic ties with the United States. He later became notorious for the "Smythe Telegram" that he wrote during the increasing tensions before the war, where he demanded that the U.S. return to a pro-Arab foreign policy and said that the U.S. should ignore previous promises to Israel that Egypt would not be allowed to ban Israeli ships from transiting the Straits of Tiran. He left the country on June 8, 1967.

References

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Ridgway B. Knight
U.S. Ambassador to Syria
1965–1967
Succeeded by
Thomas J. Scotes
Preceded by
George J. Feldman
U.S. Ambassador to Malta
1967–1969
Succeeded by
John C. Pritzlaff, Jr.
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