A remarkable book about a remarkable time, Partner to History reveals the role played by U.S. diplomacy in South Africa's surprisingly successful transition from apartheid to democracy.

Princeton Lyman, the U.S. ambassador during the transition, makes clear that America didn't "own" the transition process-the South Africans did. But U.S. involvement was active and intense. And it made a difference.

Lyman tells an enthralling story of how Washington policymakers and the American embassy used U.S. influence, economic assistance, and political support to help end apartheid without sparking civil war. The book offers candid assessments both of U.S. policy deliberations and of the leading players in the unfolding, unpredictable drama. It takes us behind the diplomatic scenes as well as onto the public stage, as American diplomats strove to facilitate dialogue, encourage reconciliation, and dissuade potential spoilers.

About the Author

Princeton N. Lyman was U.S. ambassador to South Africa from 1992 through 1995. Previously, he served as ambassador to Nigeria and assistant secretary of state for international affairs. A senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace in 1999-2000, he is currently executive director, Global Interdependence Initiative, Aspen Institute.

 

Related Publications

Peace Teachers Program

Peace Teachers Program

Friday, December 1, 2023

The U.S. Institute of Peace’s (USIP) Peace Teachers Program is rooted in the conviction that educators can be pivotal in bringing themes of global conflict and peace into their classrooms, schools, and communities.

Type: Fact Sheet

Education & TrainingYouth

U.S.-Vietnam Partnership Goes Beyond Strategic Competition with China

U.S.-Vietnam Partnership Goes Beyond Strategic Competition with China

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

By: Nguyễn Khắc Giang

When the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in 1967, one of its initial goals was to contain the threat of communism during the Vietnam War. It is a remarkable turn of history that 55 years later, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính is coming this year to Washington for the ASEAN leaders summit with President Biden. Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN in 1995 ⁠— the same year when Hanoi and Washington normalized relations ⁠— was the first big step of Hanoi’s “multi-directional” foreign policy. As the Biden administration identifies Vietnam as one of the key countries in its Indo-Pacific Strategy, it needs to recognize Hanoi’s preference for multilateralism in its engagement policy.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Amid Pandemic, Virtual Peace Trail Demonstrates U.S. Commitment to Peace

Amid Pandemic, Virtual Peace Trail Demonstrates U.S. Commitment to Peace

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

By: Ann-Louise Colgan;  Ellie Quinlan

The last year was marked by disruption, with schools shuttered, workplaces closed and so many aspects of daily life altered by the pandemic. While COVID drastically reduced the number of tourists to the capital, too, that did not stop USIP from bringing Washington, D.C. to Americans through virtual options for visiting and experiencing the Peace Trail on the National Mall. The Peace Trail brings a “peace lens” to the experience of visiting the National Mall — elevating stories of key figures, institutions and moments in history that demonstrate America’s commitment to peace.

Type: Blog

Education & Training

View All Publications