Addison E. Southard (October 18, 1884 – February 11, 1970) was an American diplomat who served as Minister Resident and Consul General to multiple countries.

[2] From 1907 to 1915, he worked for the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands before entering a diplomatic career and later advised President Woodrow Wilson at the Versailles Treaty Conference in 1919.

[9] In 1909, Hoffman Philip was appointed to serve as the United States' first ambassador to Ethiopia, but only remained in the position for one year due to health problems.

In 1917, Southard visited Ethiopia and reported that the Ethiopians were displeased that there was no longer a diplomatic mission from the United States in Addis Ababa.

[15][16] Foreign Minister Heruy Wolde Selassie, Addis Ababa Mayor Makonnen Endelkachew, and three cabinet members apologized to Southard for the beating.

[20] During the Canton Operation the Japanese dropped three bombs on the American owned Lingnan University, causing criticism from the United States which was delivered by Southard.

[23] In November 1941, he was surprised by the British evacuation order for Britons in the Fujian province, due to the advancing Japanese army, as a similar warning had not been issued to Americans in the area.

[26][27] After six months of imprisonment he was released as part of an exchange agreement alongside sixty three other diplomats and was taken to Maputo on board the Asama Maru before returning to the United States on August 25, 1942.