John J. Louis, Jr, 1981–83

John J. Louis, Jr formally served as American Ambassador to the United Kingdom for 844 days, from 27 May 1981 to 19 September 1983. During that time he was faced with a series of diplomatic incidents that threatened to weaken the relationship between America and Britain, from major international events such as the Falkland Islands War to trade disputes such as the collapse of Laker Airways. For many observers on both sides of the Atlantic, within the British and American government and even inside the US Embassy in London, Louis failed to present the case for the United States vigorously and lacked the gravitas and the connections to be taken seriously within London and Washington. At the same time, he was dismissed by the British media as ‘the invisible man’.1 This, it is argued, ultimately led to his unceremonious removal as Ambassador by President Ronald Reagan and replacement by Charles H. Price II in 1983.2