Dean Acheson

Dean Gooderham Acheson (April 11, 1893 – October 12, 1971) was an American statesman and lawyer. As United States Secretary of State in the administration of President Harry Truman from 1949 to 1953, he played a central role in defining American foreign policy during the Cold War. Acheson helped design the Marshall Plan and played a central role in the development of the Truman Doctrine and creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Acheson's most famous decision was convincing President Truman to intervene in the Korean War in June 1950. He also persuaded Truman to dispatch aid and advisers to French forces in Indochina, though in 1968 he finally counseled President Lyndon Johnson to negotiate for peace with North Vietnam.

Dean Acheson in Joe Steele
Dean Acheson was the last Secretary of State of the United States under President Joe Steele. When Steele died in March, 1953, his successor John Nance Garner collected the resignations of the entire Steele cabinet, save for Acheson and Secretary of War George Marshall. However, as Garner had also crossed Steele's aid, Vince Scriabin, both Acheson and Marshall died in short order. Acheson was on a flight to San Francisco that crashed, killing forty-seven people, including Acheson.