"The strategy was to persuade him that the U.S. could end the war on the basis of certain principles which were essential to Croatia, namely reuniting their country," Galbraith says. "But [they] would have to accept our principles not to divide Bosnia. I had to persuade him that we were going to be involved."

And involved Galbraith became. In August, 1995, Galbraith defended the Serbs against the Croatian government, earning the name "tractor diplomat," a title that he brandishes with pride.

On Aug. 4, thousands of Serbs took to the roads in caravans, tractors and cars to flee the Croat offensive and were assaulted along the trip by Croat mobs.

Galbraith read the Associated Press account of the tragedies the following day and says he became enraged that the government was not standing up for its people.

"I told Tudgman, 'If your police are not prepared to protect these people, I'll do it,'" Galbraith says. "'I'll go down and join them.' Then I had to keep my word."

He joined the people on their tractors and rode to the border. Galbraith says the police were conspicuously present every 15 yards for the rest of journey, and the Serbs made it safely to the border.

Capitol Influence

Tepper says everyone in Washington, including Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, respects Galbraith for his strong spirit and sense of right and wrong.

"You knew where Peter Galbraith would end up," she says. "Because you knew what his bottom line was. He never took no for an answer."

Tepper adds, "Galbraith energized Washington [into] getting actors to focus on Croatia. He challenged the system."

But, Tepper says, despite intense dedication to his work, Galbraith does not lose touch with the lighter side of life. She says Galbraith possesses a funny personality and the ability to tell a good story which contribute to his success as a diplomat.

Even Peter's father, John Kenneth Galbraith, Warburg professor of economics emeritus and former U.S. ambassador to India under John F. Kennedy '40, praised his son's the diplomatic techniques.

"He is one of the great peace makers in Croatia," John Galbraith says. "We [his family] shared pride in what he had done. So far as I was informed, I certainly agreed with what he was doing."

Crimson Childhood

Galbraith has been interested in the welfare of others since childhood, when he took care of a collie named Tavish, a spotted turtle and a series of cats.