John Foster Dulles

1888- 1959

Secretary of State

Grandson and nephew of US Secretaries of State, John Foster Dulles was born on February 25, 1888, in Washington DC. Dulles attended to Princeton University and then received a law degree from George Washington University. After graduating from law school he went into private practice. In 1919, he was a representative to the Paris Peace Conference.

He served as a delegate to the United Nations from 1945 to 1949 and in 1951 negotiated the peace treaty with Japan. In 1953 he became Secretary of State under President Eisenhower. As the architect of America's Cold War posture, he was instrumental in the establishment of alliances such as SEATO and CENTO and dedicated to the strengthening of NATO.

He supported the development of nuclear weapons and their use to answer any Soviet aggression.