Herrick is by no means hugely influential in world history, but he's well ahead of most of the worthless by-blow celebrities on this list.

As the American ambassador to France at the beginning of the First World War, Herrick refused to abandon Paris as the German army moved towards it, apparently unstoppable after inflicting defeats on French and British troops. Told by the the Germans that he should flee because they could not guarantee his safety if they stormed the city, he responded by saying that he was placing the museums, galleries and national monuments of Paris under the protection of the American flag "in the custody of humanity at large."

It is not known if Herrick's actions influenced the German armies to turn east of the city in an attempt to destroy the French and British on the Marne, (probably not) but his principled stand was regarded as an act of heroism by the French (whose government had fled the city) In gratitude, Paris named a street after him.