Christian A. Herter

Christian A. Herter served as Secretary of State from April 1959 to January 1961, completing Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency after John Foster Dulles resigned because of illness. Born in Paris, he began diplomatic work in Germany during the First World War and served with the American peace delegation in 1918–1919. Later positions included relief work, Congress, and the governorship of Massachusetts. ¹

As a congressman, Herter chaired a committee that investigated European conditions and supported the reconstruction effort associated with the Marshall Plan. He became under secretary of state in 1957, working through the crises over Lebanon and the Taiwan Strait before succeeding Dulles. His background joined practical experience in European relief to support for the institutions of the Western alliance. ^{1, 2}

The U-2 incident of 1960 became the central crisis of his secretaryship. The destruction of an American reconnaissance aircraft over Soviet territory undermined efforts to improve relations and disrupted summit diplomacy. Herter’s term ended with Eisenhower’s departure, but his international work continued under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson as the United States trade representative. His career thus extended across wartime relief, Cold War security, and the negotiation of trade agreements, with service under presidents of both parties. ¹