Christopher D. OSullivan - Colin Powell: A Political Biography

Colin Powell

Biographies

IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

Joseph A. Fry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Series Editor

The Biographies in American Foreign Policy Series employs the enduring medium of biography to examine the major episodes and themes in the history of U.S. foreign relations. By viewing policy formation and implementation from the perspective of influential participants, the series humanizes and makes more accessible those decisions and events that sometimes appear abstract or distant. Particular attention is devoted to those aspects of the subjects background, personality, and intellect that most influenced his or her approach to U.S. foreign policy, and each individuals role is placed in a context that takes into account domestic affairs, national interests and policies, and international and strategic considerations.

Volumes Published

Lawrence S. Kaplan, Thomas Jefferson: Westward the Course of Empire

Richard H. Immerman, John Foster Dulles: Piety, Pragmatism, and Power in U.S. Foreign Policy

Thomas W. Zeiler, Dean Rusk: Defending the American Mission Abroad

Edward P. Crapol, James G. Blaine: Architect of Empire

David F. Schmitz, Henry L. Stimson: The First Wise Man

Thomas M. Leonard, James K. Polk: A Clear and Unquestionable Destiny

James E. Lewis Jr., John Quincy Adams: Policymaker for the Union

Catherine Forslund, Anna Chennault: Informal Diplomacy and Asian
Relations

Lawrence S. Kaplan, Alexander Hamilton: Ambivalent Anglophile

Andrew J. DeRoche, Andrew Young: Civil Rights Ambassador

Jeffrey J. Matthews, Alanson B. Houghton: Ambassador of the New Era

Clarence E. Wunderlin Jr., Robert A. Taft: Ideas, Tradition, and Party in U.S. Foreign Policy

Howard Jablon, David M. Shoup: A Warrior against War

Jeff Woods, Richard B. Russell: Southern Nationalism and American Foreign Policy

Russell D. Buhite, Douglas MacArthur: Statecraft and Stagecraft in Americas East Asian Policy

Christopher D. OSullivan, Colin Powell: A Political Biography

Colin Powell

A Political Biography

Christopher D. OSullivan

ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC.

Published in the United States of America

by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

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Copyright 2009 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Originally published under the title of Colin Powell: American Power and
Intervention from Vietnam to Iraq

First paperback edition 2010

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

without the prior permission of the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

The hard cover edition of this book was previously cataloged by the Library of Congress as follows:

OSullivan, Christopher D.

Colin Powell : American power and intervention from Vietnam to Iraq / Christopher D. OSullivan.

p. cm. (Biographies in American foreign policy Joseph A. Fry)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Powell, Colin L. 2. GeneralsUnited StatesBiography. 3. African American generalsBiography. 4. United States. ArmyBiography. 5. StatesmenUnited StatesBiography. 6. United States. Dept. of StateBiography. I. Title.

E840.5.P68O885 2009

327.730092dc22

[B] 2008046759

ISBN: 978-0-7425-5186-2 (cloth : alk. paper)

ISBN: 978-0-7425-5187-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN: 978-1-4422-0265-8 (electronic)

Printed in the United States of America

` The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of

American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

To my father, Gen. Curtis Hoop OSullivan

1920 April 26: Luther Powell emigrates from Jamaica.

1929 Luther Powell and Arie marry.

1937 April 5: Colin L. Powell is born in Harlem.

1941 The Powell family moves to the South Bronx.

1943 The Powells take up residence at 952 Kelly St. in Hunts Point, the Bronx.

1950 September: Powell enters Morris High School.

1954 January: Powell graduates from Morris High School.

February: Powell enrolls at City College of New York (CCNY).

September: Powell signs up for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and pledges Pershing Rifles.

1956 August: Powell is admitted to advanced, upper-division ROTC.

1957 Power attends a six-week summer encampment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

1958 June 9: Powell becomes a Distinguished Military Graduate and is commissioned a second lieutenant in the regular army.

June 10: Powell receives a BS in geology from CCNY.

He attends an eight-week basic infantry officer course, Ranger School, and six weeks of airborne training.

1959 January: Powell is a platoon leader in Germany.

December: He is promoted to first lieutenant.

1961 January: Powell is stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, as company commander.

November: He meets Alma Johnson.

1962 August: Powell receives orders for South Vietnam.

August 25: He marries Alma Johnson in Birmingham, Alabama.

September: He attends a five-week adviser course at Fort Bragg and is promoted to captain.

December 25: He arrives in Saigon to serve as adviser to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

1963 January: Powell arrives in Quang Tri province.

March 23: His son Michael Kevin is born.

July 23: He steps on a Punji trap and is awarded the Purple Heart.

November 1: He returns to Saigon; his tour of duty is complete.

November 1: South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem is assassinated.

November 22: He arrives in Nashville and hears of JFKs assassination.

1964 January: Powell attends advanced airborne training.

August: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed.

1966 Spring: Powell attends the Infantry School as a major.

1967 Fall: Powell attends Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.

1968 June: Powell graduates second in his class from Command and General Staff College.

July 21: He returns to Vietnam for a second tour.

July 27: He is assigned to the Third Battalion (First Infantry) Americal Division.

November 16: He is injured in a chopper crash and receives a medal for life saving.

1969 July: Powells second tour in Vietnam ends.

1970 August: Powell is promoted to lieutenant colonel.

1971 May: Powell receives an MBA in data processing from George Washington University.

July: Powell is appointed to the Office of Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

1972 May: Powell is selected as a White House fellow in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

1973 February: Powell becomes special assistant to the deputy director of the OMB.

August: He serves as commanding officer of an infantry battalion in Korea.

1974 September: Powell returns to the United States.

1975 August: Powell attends the National War College at Fort McNair.

1976 February: Powell is promoted to colonel.

April: He becomes brigade commander with the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell.

1977 May: Powell is appointed to the Office of the Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense.

1979 June 1: Powell is promoted to brigadier general at age forty-one.

1981 January 20: Ronald Reagan is inaugurated.