▁- ▁ 9 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 9 ) ▁was ▁a ▁ 2 0 th - century ▁American ▁diplom at , ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁China ▁H ands : ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁State ▁Department ▁officials ▁attacked ▁during ▁Mc Car thy ism ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁for ▁" los ing ▁China " ▁to ▁the ▁Commun ists . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Oliver ▁Edmund ▁Club b ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁in ▁South ▁Park , ▁Minnesota . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁cattle ▁ran cher . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁one ▁brother ▁( sur v iving ▁at ▁his ▁time ▁of ▁death ), ▁L ester ▁Club b . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁en list ed ▁age ▁ 1 7 ▁for ▁military ▁service ▁and ▁later ▁studied ▁international ▁law ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Washington ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Club b ▁passed ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Service ▁exam . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁first ▁assignment ▁to ▁Be ij ing . ▁ ▁Club b ▁spent ▁two ▁dec ades ▁in ▁government ▁service ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Foreign ▁Diplom atic ▁Corps . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁( two ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁Japanese ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ), ▁Club b , ▁then ▁in ▁Ind och ina , ▁found ▁himself ▁seized ▁by ▁occup ying ▁Japanese ▁forces ▁and ▁held , ▁first ▁for