In his long career as a journalist covering the Cold War and its aftermath, best-selling author Robert D. Kaplan often crossed paths with Bob Gersony. A high school dropout later awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam, Gersony conducted on-the-ground research for the U.S. government in virtually every war and natural-disaster zone in the world. In conversation with Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal, Kaplan discusses the powerful example that Gersony set of how American diplomacy should be conducted.