ABSTRACT
This chapter describes Clare Boothe Luce’s term as US ambassador to Italy under President Dwight Eisenhower (1953–56). It briefly establishes the context of women in American diplomacy, including four female chiefs of mission before Luce. But she was the first female envoy to a major US ally, indeed, in the crucial years of the early Cold War. Known for her rapier wit, Luce was an odd choice to serve as a top diplomat, and some Italians interpreted the appointment of a woman as an insult. Luce was confirmed easily, but running such a large mission, made more difficult by gender issues (such as the absence of a traditional spouse), led to overwork, stress, and significant health issues. Luce was too alarmist in her analyses of the Italian situation, and she struggled mightily to execute basic US policy, eradicating Communist influence in Italy, achieving only limited success. However, she played an important role in helping resolve the dispute over Trieste, and with her combination of intelligence, diligence, and access to the President, Luce generally proved an effective ambassador. She resigned in late 1956, after Eisenhower’s election to a second term.
