Walter Lippmann and the American Century — 28 Starting Over

1. 1. Walter Lippmann and Helen Armstrong's affair was discovered by her husband Hamilton Armstrong in August 1937 while she was in Bourges.
2. 2. Lippmann initially hesitated to divorce his wife Faye, unsure if Helen would leave her husband.
3. 3. Helen wrote to Mima Porter that Lippmann's solitude had made him who he was, but their love had unfrozen his spirit.
4. 4. Lippmann decided to divorce Faye after reading Helen's letter from the ship, realizing she was willing to leave Armstrong.
5. 5. Helen was impatient with Lippmann's high-mindedness and feared he might not be able to hurt people to marry her.
6. 6. Lippmann wrote to Helen that his heart was so joined to hers he could not staunch the wounds if they tore apart.
7. 7. Lippmann asked his father-in-law to tell Faye about the divorce, avoiding a personal confrontation.
8. 8. Faye Lippmann filed for divorce in Florida, citing mental cruelty, and received a generous settlement including all savings and properties.
9. 9. The scandal cost Lippmann his friendship with Hamilton Armstrong, who never forgave him and excised his name from Foreign Affairs for 35 years.
10. 10. Lippmann delivered the Walgreen Lectures in 1938 on the 'American Destiny,' arguing America must become Britain's heir in regulating world balance of power.
11. 11. Lippmann considered retiring to Berenson's estate in seclusion if Helen chose to stay with Armstrong, but her decision to leave made that unnecessary.
12. 12. Lippmann and Helen married on March 26, 1938, and moved to Washington to escape gossip, spending a honeymoon summer in Europe.