The Catacazy Affair and the Uneasy Path of Russian-American Relations - (Library of Modern Russia) by Lee A Farrow (Paperback)

About the Book

An exploration of the scandal surrounding Constantin Catacazy's appointment as Russian Ambassador to the United States, as well as its causes and consequences for diplomacy.

Book Synopsis

Constantin Catacazy whipped up scandal in Washington after his appointment there as Russian Ambassador in 1869, ignoring diplomatic protocol and defying social mores. By 1871, President Grant and his Cabinet requested that he be recalled. But the timing of this request overlapped with the visit of the tsar's son to the USA - a celebrated diplomatic event symbolising the friendship and good will between the two nations. Consequently, Catacazy was allowed to travel with the tsar's son, but only as a persona non grata. This tense resolution led many to worry about the future of the Russian-American friendship.

With a keen sense of the human interest, Lee A. Farrow demonstrates that this affair was one of the earliest significant complications in the relationship between Russia and the USA. Using a lively micro-historical approach and fresh materials such as the letters of Catacazy and of Secretary of State Hamilton Fish from archives in the USA, UK and Russia, Farrow explores 19th-century politics and diplomacy, and the pre-suffrage power of women in the political arena through an investigation of the Washington wives' reactions to the controversial figure of Olga Catacazy. The result is a cutting-edge analysis of this pivotal episode in modern history.

Review Quotes

The Catacazy Affair is an informative, charming, and impactful piece that explores new issues and reveals new facts ... Lee Farrow's book outlines important nuances in the twists and turns of nineteenth-century diplomacy, advances the study of relations between the two countries' governments and peoples, and will undoubtedly attract considerable readership.

The Russian Review

Dr. Farrow's close examination of Catacazy affair makes a valuable contribution to the literature on Russian-American relations in the 19th century. The volume shows how the warm sentiments which drove the two countries together in the 1860s evolved into feelings of mutual suspicion and recrimination in the following decade. With its close examination of the local, national and international press coverage of the various scandals Constantin Catacazy, Russia's representative to the United States, meddled in, the volume demonstrates the influence of the press to shape the public narrative of political events. An engrossing chapter on the exclusion of Catacazy's wife from Washington social events highlights how the wives of prominent politicians wielded informal political power long before American women garnered the right to vote, while other chapters point to the importance of the Catacazy affair in establishing the limits of acceptable behavior for foreign representatives in the United States as well as the rules for requesting the recall of diplomats who exceeded them. Finally, with its detailed analysis of the comments - both personal and private - made by Catacazy, US Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, and a host of other political figures, the book underscores the importance of individuals in the conduct of international relations.

Alison Rowley, Professor of History, Concordia University, Canada

Lee Farrow has provided a great service to students of diplomacy and Russian-American relations with her study of the Catacazy Affair. Her extensive research and detailed retelling of what appears on the surface to be a minor episode reveals a fascinating story of intrigue that had a significant impact on relations between the United States and Russia. Farrow's ability to disentangle the complicated details of this episode results in a compelling and enjoyable book to read. Highly recommended!

William Benton Whisenhunt, Professor of History, College of DuPage, USA

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