Politburo input. Thompson's belief was that Khrushchev would be willing to withdraw the Soviet missiles from Cuba if he could portray the avoidance of a US invasion of the island as a strategic success. Thompson also testified before the Warren Commission, which investigated the Kennedy assassination. On August 7th of 1962, he was awarded the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service by President John F. Kennedy. He held a number of other positions throughout his foreign service career, including Ambassador-at-Large for Soviet Affairs and Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs. In his second term in Moscow under President Lyndon Johnson, Thompson was present at the Glassboro Summit Conference between Johnson and Alexei Kosygin to discuss US-Soviet relations with the Soviets. Thompson was a pivotal participant in the formulation of Lyndon Johnson administration's non-proliferation policy on nuclear weapons and was instrumental in beginning the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks process. After Thompson's retirement, he was recruited by President Richard Nixon to participate in the SALT I negotiations. Family Thompson's wife, Jane Monroe Goelet, an artist, brought art from the US State Department's Art in Embassies Program to the ambassador's residence at Spaso House, the Moscow. The program exhibits original works by US citizens in the public areas of ambassador’s residences all over the world. His daughters have written a biography published in March 2018 by Johns Hopkins University Press: "The Kremlinologist: Llewellyn E Thompson, America's Man in Cold War Moscow" (). Death and legacy Thompson died of cancer in 1972 and is buried in his hometown of Las Animas. U.S. Route 50 through Las Animas was renamed to Ambassador Thompson Boulevard. References External links Art in Embassies Program 1904 births 1972 deaths People from Las Animas, Colorado Cold War diplomats Ambassadors of the United States to Austria Ambassadors of the United States to the Soviet Union 20th-century American diplomats United States Career Ambassadors University of Colorado alumni Deaths from cancer in Maryland Recipients of the Medal of Freedom United States Foreign Service personnel Recipients of the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service