"Actually I'd had a certain amount of experience in Europe in the inter-war period, as a banker, and I was also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Commerce"

W. Averell Harriman was an American politician and diplomat who worked as the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union and the U.S. Ambassador to Britain. In this quote, Harriman is describing his experience in Europe throughout the inter-war period, which was the duration between completion of World War I and the beginning of World War II. Harriman was a lender throughout this time, and he was also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Commerce. This experience offered Harriman a distinct insight into the economic and political situation in Europe throughout this time, which would have been indispensable to his later diplomatic profession. Harriman's experience in Europe during the inter-war duration was a fundamental part of his career and helped form his views on international relations.