George Shultz
A pragmatic architect of Cold War statecraft, he steered Reagan's diplomacy through nuclear arms talks and the beginning of the Soviet Union's end.
1920–2021 (age 101)·American economist, diplomat and statesman·Birthday: December 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
George Shultz brought the steady mind of an economist and labor negotiator to the world's most volatile diplomatic stages. His career was a cascade of high-stakes roles: Secretary of Labor, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Secretary of the Treasury under Nixon, where he presided over the end of the Bretton Woods system. But his defining chapter came as Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State. Shultz, a realist with a deep distrust of the Soviet system, nonetheless became the administration's chief engineer for dialogue. He built a working relationship with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, patiently laying the groundwork for the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Shultz advocated for engaging Mikhail Gorbachev, believing his reforms presented a historic opportunity. His tenure was a masterclass in applying persistent, disciplined diplomacy to an ideological confrontation, helping to guide the Cold War toward a peaceful conclusion.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
George was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 60
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 70
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 80
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2021Died at 101
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Served as U.S. Secretary of State for nearly seven years under President Ronald Reagan, the longest tenure since Dean Rusk.
- Was a central figure in negotiating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the Soviet Union, the first pact to eliminate an entire class of nuclear weapons.
- Held four different Cabinet-level positions (Secretary of Labor, OMB Director, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of State), a feat matched only by Elliot Richardson.
- As Secretary of the Treasury, he was a key figure in the Nixon administration's economic policies, including the closing of the gold window.
Did You Know?
He was a professor of economics at MIT and later at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.
Before his government service, he served as president of the construction and engineering giant Bechtel.
He was a Marine Corps officer during World War II, reaching the rank of captain.
He earned a Ph.D. in industrial economics from MIT.
“Trust is the coin of the realm. When trust was in the room, whatever room that was — the family room, the school room, the locker room, the office room — good things happened.”
