Understanding interpreting and diplomacy: Reflections on the early cold war (1945-1963)

Abstract

The years after World War II represent the origins of the Cold War era. This chapter argues that the study of Cold War diplomacy from the interpreter’s viewpoint can provide valuable insights into this period. It explores how interpreters at US and Soviet meetings managed their agency in making foreign policy and in adjusting their work to the different functions of diplomacy. It reviews several case studies which reflect different forms of diplomacy, strategically implemented with the help of diplomat interpreters: summitry diplomacy, public diplomacy, and military negotiations during the Korean conflict. We conclude with some examples that summarize the importance of personal factors in the understanding of international relations in general and in the early Cold War in particular.