Richard L. Walker
Encyclopedia
Richard Louis "Dixie" Walker (April 13, 1922 – July 22, 2003) was an American
scholar, author, and ambassador
to South Korea
. He was married to the late Celeno Kenly Walker for 45 years and had three children. His Chinese
name was 吳克 (Wú Kè) and in Korean
was transliterated as 리처드 워커 (Richadeu Wokeo).
Walker was born in Bellefonte
, Pennsylvania
. He received his B.A. degree
in 1944 from Drew University
and his M.A.
in 1947 and Ph. D.
in 1950 from Yale University
. He served in the United States Army
in World War II
from 1943–1946 and, drawing on a family missionary background and intensive language training while serving in the Army, he became Mandarin Chinese language interpreter with General Douglas MacArthur
's headquarters in the Pacific Theater of Operations
. He later served in the Korean War
as well.
After his military service, Walker was on the faculty of Yale University until 1957 when he moved to Columbia
, South Carolina
to organize a new program in international studies at the University of South Carolina
(USC) that he headed until 1972. In 1961, he founded the Institute of International Studies and headed it until 1981 as it grew into a preeminent national and international center of research, conferences, consultation and publications. In 1996 the Institute was re-named the Richard L. Walker Institute in his honor.
In 1981, Walker was chosen by President Ronald Reagan
to serve as his ambassador to the Republic of Korea
. After unanimous confirmation
by the U. S. Senate
, he served with distinction at that post until 1986, longer than any other American ambassador. He was partly responsible for securing the release of the imprisoned dissident
Kim Dae-jung who was under sentence of death
and who would later become president of South Korea. For this and other efforts, he received recognition from President Reagan and was awarded the highest civilian decoration of the U.S. Department of Defense
. Reagan wrote to him, "You have transformed quiet diplomacy into a fine art."
Following his tenure as ambassador, he returned to the USC and retired as the James F. Byrnes
Professor Emeritus of International Studies and Ambassador-in-Residence at the University and was academically active until his death.
Walker's life focused on study, writing, and involvement in East Asia. On several occasions he lived there with his family in Japan
, South Korea, and Taiwan
. He traveled frequently over many years to countries in East
and Southeast Asia
for service with the U.S. Department of State
and the U.S. Information Agency
. Walker was the author of seventeen books, a contributor to more than 70 others and author of numerous articles and reviews. In his research and writing he focused especially on cultural factors in international relations
. In his 1956 China Under Communism: The First Five Years, Walker was early to recognize the suffering and atrocities occurring under in the communist
People's Republic of China
and argued that, in the long term, communism was incompatible within Chinese culture.
A major part of his academic significance is that he tried to some extent to stand between the two competing sides during the period of McCarthyism
, intense anti-communist suspicions in the United States from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. However, as he describes in a 1998 memoir, he still faced with academic ostracism for his perceived anti-Communist China bias.
In addition to his service at USC, where he held its first endowed professorship, Walker had a number of visiting academic appointments from universities including the University of Washington
, National Taiwan University
, Kyoto
and Kyoto Sangyo University
in Japan. He also served on the faculty of the U.S. National War College
in Washington, D.C.
of which he was a graduate, and he lectured at academic centers in Europe, Asia and Australia. He also received awards for his contributions to the educational programs of the Department of State and Department of Defense. Walker received honorary degrees from Drew University, The Citadel
, Seoul National University
, and USC. He was also honored by the Republic of China
on Taiwan with the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon. He was president of the American Association for China Studies from 1995–1997.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scholar, author, and ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He was married to the late Celeno Kenly Walker for 45 years and had three children. His Chinese
Chinese written language
Written Chinese comprises Chinese characters used to represent the Chinese language, and the rules about how they are arranged and punctuated. Chinese characters do not constitute an alphabet or a compact syllabary...
name was 吳克 (Wú Kè) and in Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
was transliterated as 리처드 워커 (Richadeu Wokeo).
Walker was born in Bellefonte
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He received his B.A. degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1944 from Drew University
Drew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
and his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1947 and Ph. D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1950 from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1943–1946 and, drawing on a family missionary background and intensive language training while serving in the Army, he became Mandarin Chinese language interpreter with General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's headquarters in the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
. He later served in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
as well.
After his military service, Walker was on the faculty of Yale University until 1957 when he moved to Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to organize a new program in international studies at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
(USC) that he headed until 1972. In 1961, he founded the Institute of International Studies and headed it until 1981 as it grew into a preeminent national and international center of research, conferences, consultation and publications. In 1996 the Institute was re-named the Richard L. Walker Institute in his honor.
In 1981, Walker was chosen by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
to serve as his ambassador to the Republic of Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. After unanimous confirmation
Advice and consent
Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
by the U. S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, he served with distinction at that post until 1986, longer than any other American ambassador. He was partly responsible for securing the release of the imprisoned dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
Kim Dae-jung who was under sentence of death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
and who would later become president of South Korea. For this and other efforts, he received recognition from President Reagan and was awarded the highest civilian decoration of the U.S. Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. Reagan wrote to him, "You have transformed quiet diplomacy into a fine art."
Following his tenure as ambassador, he returned to the USC and retired as the James F. Byrnes
James F. Byrnes
James Francis Byrnes was an American statesman from the state of South Carolina. During his career, Byrnes served as a member of the House of Representatives , as a Senator , as Justice of the Supreme Court , as Secretary of State , and as the 104th Governor of South Carolina...
Professor Emeritus of International Studies and Ambassador-in-Residence at the University and was academically active until his death.
Walker's life focused on study, writing, and involvement in East Asia. On several occasions he lived there with his family in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Korea, and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He traveled frequently over many years to countries in East
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
for service with the U.S. Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
and the U.S. Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
. Walker was the author of seventeen books, a contributor to more than 70 others and author of numerous articles and reviews. In his research and writing he focused especially on cultural factors in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
. In his 1956 China Under Communism: The First Five Years, Walker was early to recognize the suffering and atrocities occurring under in the communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and argued that, in the long term, communism was incompatible within Chinese culture.
A major part of his academic significance is that he tried to some extent to stand between the two competing sides during the period of McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
, intense anti-communist suspicions in the United States from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. However, as he describes in a 1998 memoir, he still faced with academic ostracism for his perceived anti-Communist China bias.
In addition to his service at USC, where he held its first endowed professorship, Walker had a number of visiting academic appointments from universities including the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
, Kyoto
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
and Kyoto Sangyo University
Kyoto Sangyo University
is a private university in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.- History :The university was established in 1965. The founder was an astronomer named Toshima Araki , who intended to nurture students so that they could have their spiritual foundation upon the traditions of Japanese culture and contribute...
in Japan. He also served on the faculty of the U.S. National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
of which he was a graduate, and he lectured at academic centers in Europe, Asia and Australia. He also received awards for his contributions to the educational programs of the Department of State and Department of Defense. Walker received honorary degrees from Drew University, The Citadel
The Citadel (military college)
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States...
, Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
, and USC. He was also honored by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
on Taiwan with the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon. He was president of the American Association for China Studies from 1995–1997.