Jack Matlock, former U.S. ambassador to Soviet Union, will give diplomacy lecture today

Jack Matlock, former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, will give students insight today on what is happening between the U.S. and Russia.

“He (Matlock) served in the foreign service for years and became U.S. Ambassador to Soviet Union as well as to Czechoslovakia,” said Doug Davis, an associate professor and director of the master of science in international relations (MSIR) academic division of the Troy department of political science.

Matlock’s role was “a career diplomat who served on the front lines of American diplomacy during the Cold War,” according to his website, jackmatlock.com.

Davis said that students should attend the lecture to learn from Matlock’s experience.

Michael Slobodchikoff, assistant professor and division chair of political science, said that Matlock is the highest-profile ambassador to speak at Troy.

“Since retiring from the Foreign Service, he has focused on understanding how the Cold War ended and how the lessons from that experience might be applied to public policy today,” Matlock’s website said.

Matlock will be taking his previous experiences and applying them to his lecture for Troy students.

Davis said that Matlock has served on Ronald Reagan’s National Security Council.

“He has provided critical service from the Cuban Missile Crisis, where he was stationed in Moscow (helping translate between diplomatic leaders), to the fall of the Soviet Union,” Davis said.

Matlock addressed the Alabama World Affairs council on Tuesday, Jan. 23, presenting “Russia Then and Now” at the Troy Montgomery campus.

“He offers an important insight on the current state of U.S.-Russian relations,” Davis said.

Matlock will speak in the Rinehart Auditorium in the Math and Science Complex (MSCX) at 2:30 p.m. on “A Resurgent Russia: From the United States to Syria.”

For students interested in attending, the lecture is free and will be today in MSCX Room 114.