Owen Lattimore

Owen Lattimore
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Name	Owen Lattimore
Birth date	July 29, 1900
Birth place	Washington, D.C.
Death date	May 31, 1989
Death place	Providence, Rhode Island
Occupation	Sinologist, Geographer, Professor
Spouse	Eleanor Holgate Lattimore

Owen Lattimore was a renowned Sinologist and Geographer who spent his life studying the Mongols and the Chinese Communist Party. He was a prominent figure in the Institute of Pacific Relations and a close friend of Henry A. Wallace, the Vice President of the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Lattimore's work took him to various parts of the world, including China, Mongolia, and Japan, where he interacted with influential people like Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek. His experiences and knowledge of Asian cultures and politics made him a valuable resource for United States policymakers, including those in the State Department and the White House.

● Early Life and Education

Owen Lattimore was born in Washington, D.C. to David Lattimore and Margaret Barnes Lattimore. He spent his early years in Tientsin, China, where his parents worked as missionaries. Lattimore's interest in Asian cultures and languages began at a young age, and he went on to study at St. Bees School in Cumbria, England. He later attended Dartmouth College and Harvard University, where he developed his skills in Mongolian language and Tibetan language. Lattimore's education also took him to Beijing, China, where he studied at Tsinghua University and interacted with scholars like Hu Shih and Chen Duxiu. His time in China was marked by significant events, including the May Fourth Movement and the rise of the Chinese Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai.

● Career

Lattimore's career as a Sinologist and Geographer spanned several decades and took him to various parts of the world. He worked as a trade agent in Tientsin, China and later as a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Lattimore's expertise in Mongolian studies led to his appointment as a consultant to the United States Department of State and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He also served as an adviser to Vice President Henry A. Wallace during his visit to Soviet Central Asia and Mongolia in 1944. Lattimore's interactions with influential people like Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Chiang Kai-shek made him a valuable resource for United States policymakers, including those in the State Department and the White House. He was also a member of the Institute of Pacific Relations and worked closely with scholars like Pearl S. Buck and Edgar Snow.

● Controversies and Later Life

Lattimore's life was not without controversy, particularly during the Red Scare and the McCarthyism era in the United States. He was accused of being a Communist sympathizer and a Soviet spy by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Lattimore's association with Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party made him a target of suspicion, and he was eventually indicted for perjury in 1952. However, the charges were later dismissed due to lack of evidence. Despite the controversies, Lattimore continued to work as a professor and a researcher, teaching at Leeds University and The Johns Hopkins University. He also remained a prominent figure in the Institute of Pacific Relations and continued to write about Asian cultures and politics, including the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

● Works and Legacy

Owen Lattimore's works include several books on Mongolian studies, Chinese history, and Asian cultures. His notable works include The Desert Road to Turkestan, High Tartary, and Inner Asian Frontiers of China. Lattimore's writings have been widely acclaimed, and he has been recognized for his contributions to the field of Sinology and Geography. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for his book Ordeal by Slander, which chronicled his experiences during the Red Scare. Lattimore's legacy extends beyond his writings, as he has inspired generations of scholars, including Jonathan Spence and Perry Link, to study Asian cultures and politics. His work has also had a significant impact on United States foreign policy, particularly in regards to China and Mongolia, and has influenced policymakers like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Today, Lattimore's papers and archives are housed at the Library of Congress and the Harvard University libraries, serving as a valuable resource for researchers and scholars studying Asian cultures and politics. Category:American sinologists