Christian Herter
A patrician New England Republican who provided steady, pragmatic diplomacy at the height of the Cold War.
1895–1966 (age 71)·American politician·Birthday: March 28·The Lost Generation
Biography
Christian Herter represented a now-vanishing breed of American statesman: internationally-minded, moderate, and steeped in public service long before reaching the cabinet. The son of a prominent artist, he moved from the Massachusetts State House to the governor's mansion, where he was known for fiscal restraint and expanding the state's highway system. His true calling, however, was foreign policy. As Undersecretary and then Secretary of State under President Eisenhower, he was the calm, competent manager during a period of intense global friction. He took the helm just as the Cold War entered one of its iciest phases, dealing with the fallout from the U-2 spy plane incident and the abrasive rhetoric of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Herter lacked the flash of some contemporaries, but his deep knowledge and unwavering commitment to the Atlantic Alliance helped steer U.S. policy through a treacherous transition. His legacy is one of dignified, effective stewardship in an era that tested diplomatic patience.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Christian was born in 1895, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1895
Christian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1895Born
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1900Started school
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1908Became a teenager
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Could drive
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1913Could vote
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1916Turned 21
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Turned 30
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1935Turned 40
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 50
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 60
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 70
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1966Died at 71
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
Key Achievements
- Served as the 59th Governor of Massachusetts, where he championed infrastructure development and balanced budgets.
- Appointed United States Secretary of State in 1959, managing foreign policy during the tense final years of the Eisenhower administration.
- Played a key role in the early formation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
- As a Congressman, he was a principal author of the Marshall Plan legislation that provided aid to rebuild post-war Europe.
Did You Know?
He suffered from severe arthritis for much of his adult life and often used a cane or crutches.
Before politics, he worked as a journalist and served as the private secretary to Herbert Hoover when Hoover led post-World War I relief efforts.
He was the first governor of Massachusetts to serve a four-year term.
The Christian A. Herter Memorial Award is given annually by the State Department to mid-level officers for intellectual courage and creative thinking.
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