5: "The Bogotázo” in Colombia

President Truman had accepted Pawley’s resignation from his Ambassadorship in Brazil reluctantly contingent upon him completing preparation for the Ninth Conference of the Inter-American States in Bogotá. It proved to be one of the most dangerous and disastrous events of his career even though he was aware of widespread animosity towards the U.S. The assessment of Latin America that Pawley gave to Secretary of State Marshall was reported in Time magazine. “Bluntly, the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil told his boss that things were going badly in Latin America. The latinos were sore because they felt that the U.S. was neglecting them in favor of Europe, and something ought to be done to straighten things out before next month’s Pan American Conference in Bogotá.” Marshall told him to get to work, and Pawley soon was documenting how the European Recovery Program would benefit South America.1

On March 8, 1948, Pawley wrote Marshall to recommend an overhaul of the Foreign Service Act to create Career Ambassadors “such as George F. Kennan, Charles E. Bohlen and Walton Butterworth.” Pawley envisioned that the title could add prestige and improve “the financial position of career men.” Pawley specifically mentioned Paul C. Daniels, Director of American Republics Affairs, as someone who could benefit. And touted his belief that “there is a place for political appointees in the Foreign Service.”2

Pawley then arranged an April trip to Medellin, Colombia, believing that Secretary of State Marshall could use a change from the high altitude of Bogotá. The plane got a flat tire when it landed on the bumpy runway, which caused much excitement among the crowds waiting to welcome Marshall, but according to Edna Pawley, “No one was ever in danger.” While in Colombia they lunched with local officials and visited one of Colombia’s largest orchid farms.

While waiting for the cars to take them, Marshall realized a newsboy was holding a copy of the April 3, 1948 Semana (Colombia’s version of Time) which featured a cover story of the upcoming Bogotá Conference complete with a caricature of Marshall.3

Three days later, Marshall sent a note from Bogotá to Pawley in the same city on the letterhead of the Delegation of the United States of America thanking him for a case of champagne while adding, “I might say you are making it extremely difficult for me to live up to my self-imposed pledge on this trip. I can hardly wait to get back to the States and put a bottle on ice.”4 

Vernon Walters, who assisted Pawley during his Ambassadorship, later wrote an autobiography, Silent Missions, in which he describes his “good friend” Pawley as a “truly great and patriotic” man who spoke Spanish flawlessly, a major compliment from Walters who was revered for knowing a half-dozen languages. The two men, as well as Edna Pawley, were together in Bogotá when the economic conference that Pawley had organized at the request of President Truman and Secretary of State Marshall was disrupted with violent riots resulting in thousands of deaths. 

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