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 PresidentHarry 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 during the Vietnam War.
However, in the first months of World War III, Truman preferred to confide in Secretary of Defense George Marshall, who'd served as Secretary of State before Acheson.[2] Still, Truman did consult with Acheson, and made sure Acheson knew that he was not seeking re-election in 1952 before he announced it publicly.[3]
Acheson was among the many government officials killed by the atomic bomb the Soviet Union dropped on Washington, DC.[4]
Dean Acheson (1893-1953) was the last Secretary of State of the United States under PresidentJoe 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 aide, Vince Scriabin, both Acheson and Marshall died in short order. Acheson was on a flight to San Francisco that crashed, killing 47 people, including Acheson.[5]
1=denotes a character who was a POV for one volume or less
2=denotes a character who was a POV for two volumes
3=denotes a character who was a POV for three volumes
† Denotes a deceased POV.