Henry L. Stimson

Henry L. Stimson
Born	Henry Lewis Stimson 21 9, 1867
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Huntington, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Statesman, lawyer, politician
Known for	Secretary of War during World War II; Stimson Doctrine; oversight of the Manhattan Project
Education	Yale University (BA) Harvard University (LLB)
Spouse(s)	Mabel Wellington White
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal
Website	[http://www.stimson.org/ Official site]

Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican politician who served in positions of high public office across four decades and under seven presidents, establishing himself as one of the most consequential figures in the formation of twentieth-century American foreign and military policy. Over the course of a career that spanned from the Progressive Era to the dawn of the nuclear age, Stimson served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York under Theodore Roosevelt, Secretary of War under William Howard Taft, Governor-General of the Philippines under Calvin Coolidge, Secretary of State under Herbert Hoover, and again as Secretary of War under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. A Wall Street lawyer by training and a veteran of World War I, Stimson was instrumental in overseeing the mobilization of the United States Army during World War II, directing the Manhattan Project that produced the first atomic bombs, articulating the Stimson Doctrine of nonrecognition of territorial conquests achieved through force, and insisting upon the judicial prosecution of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg. He died at his Long Island estate, Highhold, on October 20, 1950, a month after his eighty-third birthday.

Early Life

Henry Lewis Stimson was born on September 21, 1867, in New York City, the son of Lewis Atterbury Stimson, a surgeon, and Candace C. Stimson (née Wheeler). His maternal grandmother was Candace Thurber Wheeler, a noted textile designer and artist. Stimson grew up in privileged circumstances within the social milieu of the Eastern establishment. His family background combined professional distinction in medicine with cultural refinement, and the young Stimson was raised with expectations of public service and intellectual achievement.

Stimson's early years were shaped by the values of the Gilded Age upper class in New York. He was educated at Phillips Academy Andover, one of the nation's premier preparatory schools, before proceeding to higher education. Though born and raised in the urban environment of New York City, Stimson developed a lifelong preference for the outdoors and rural living. A profile published in The Atlantic in 1941 observed that "although the Secretary of War was born in the heart of New York City and has practised law there for many years, he is by temperament and preference" a man drawn to country life. This duality — the sophisticated Wall Street attorney who preferred the outdoors — characterized Stimson throughout his life. He maintained the estate Highhold in the West Hills area of Huntington, Long Island, which served as his country retreat and, ultimately, his final residence.

Stimson's upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of duty, a commitment to institutional order, and a belief in the role of the United States as an active participant in international affairs. These convictions would guide his public career for the next half century.

Education

Stimson attended Yale University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. At Yale, he was immersed in the traditions and networks of the Eastern elite that would provide the social and professional connections underpinning his later career. He subsequently enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. His legal training at Harvard prepared him for a career on Wall Street, where he joined the firm of Elihu Root, the prominent attorney and statesman who became Stimson's mentor. Root's influence on Stimson was profound; Root had himself served as Secretary of War under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, and his example of combining legal expertise with public service provided the template that Stimson would follow throughout his career.

After completing his legal education, Stimson established himself as a Wall Street lawyer. His legal practice gave him both financial independence and close relationships with the political and economic leaders of the era, positioning him for the series of government appointments that would define his public life.

Career

U.S. Attorney and Early Public Service

Stimson's entry into public service came under the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, who appointed him United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York in January 1906. Serving in this role until April 8, 1909, under both Roosevelt and his successor William Howard Taft, Stimson prosecuted several prominent antitrust cases during a period of vigorous federal enforcement of competition law. His tenure as U.S. Attorney established his reputation as a capable and determined public servant, and it brought him to the attention of Republican leaders who would provide further opportunities for government service.

Stimson's work as a federal prosecutor aligned with the Progressive Era's emphasis on using government power to regulate concentrated economic interests. His success in the courtroom and his connections to the Roosevelt wing of the Republican Party made him a natural candidate for higher office. In 1910, he ran as the Republican candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated in the general election. The loss was Stimson's only run for elective office, and it confirmed his preference for appointed positions where his administrative and legal skills could be applied without the demands of electoral politics.

Secretary of War Under Taft (1911–1913)

Following his gubernatorial defeat, President Taft appointed Stimson as United States Secretary of War on May 22, 1911, a position he held until March 4, 1913. In this role, Stimson continued the reorganization of the United States Army that had been initiated under his mentor Elihu Root during the Roosevelt administration. Root's reforms had sought to modernize the Army's command structure and professionalize its officer corps, and Stimson carried this work forward, strengthening the institutional foundations that would prove essential as the nation later confronted the demands of two world wars.

His predecessor in the office was Jacob M. Dickinson, and he was succeeded by Lindley Miller Garrison under the incoming Wilson administration. Stimson's first tenure as Secretary of War, though relatively brief, demonstrated his capacity for administrative leadership in military affairs and cemented his identification with national defense policy.

World War I Military Service

After the outbreak of World War I in Europe, Stimson became an active participant in the Preparedness Movement, which advocated for expanding American military readiness in anticipation of potential U.S. involvement in the conflict. When the United States entered the war in 1917, Stimson, then nearly fifty years old, volunteered for active military service. He served as an artillery officer in France with the 77th Field Artillery Regiment, gaining firsthand experience of modern warfare on the Western Front.

Stimson's military service during World War I was formative. It deepened his understanding of military operations, logistics, and the human costs of armed conflict — experience that informed his later decisions as a civilian leader responsible for military policy. He remained in the United States Army reserve after the war, ultimately attaining the rank of Brigadier General and the informal title of "Colonel" by which many associates referred to him. His service years extended from 1917 to 1929.

Governor-General of the Philippines (1927–1929)

From December 27, 1927, to February 23, 1929, Stimson served as Governor-General of the Philippines under President Calvin Coolidge. The Philippines was at that time an American territory, and the governor-general exercised broad executive authority over the islands' government. Stimson's deputy during this period was Eugene Allen Gilmore, who served in an acting capacity both before and after Stimson's tenure.

Stimson's service in the Philippines gave him direct experience in colonial administration and in the complexities of American engagement in Asia. His understanding of the Pacific region and its strategic importance would prove significant during his later roles in formulating American foreign policy, particularly regarding Japan and China.

Secretary of State Under Hoover (1929–1933)

President Herbert Hoover appointed Stimson as the 46th United States Secretary of State on March 28, 1929. Stimson served in this capacity until March 4, 1933, navigating the turbulent international landscape of the early Great Depression era. His deputy secretaries included Joseph P. Cotton and William Castle. He succeeded Frank B. Kellogg and was succeeded by Cordell Hull under the Roosevelt administration.

As Secretary of State, Stimson pursued a policy of international engagement focused on arms limitation and collective security. He sought to prevent a worldwide naval arms race and played a central role in negotiating the London Naval Treaty of 1930, which established limits on naval construction among the major powers.

The most significant policy innovation of Stimson's tenure was his response to Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Stimson articulated what became known as the Stimson Doctrine, the principle that the United States would not recognize international territorial changes that were executed by force. This doctrine represented a significant statement of principle in American foreign policy, asserting that the international community had a moral and legal obligation to refuse legitimacy to conquests achieved through aggression. The Stimson Doctrine established a precedent that would be invoked in subsequent decades whenever nations sought to alter borders through military force.

Stimson's foreign policy correspondence during this period, including his notable communication to Senator William Borah regarding the Nine-Power Treaty, articulated the American position on Japanese expansion in China and the importance of upholding treaty obligations in maintaining international order.

Secretary of War Under Roosevelt and Truman (1940–1945)

After World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt — in a dramatic bipartisan gesture — appointed Stimson, a Republican, to return to the position of Secretary of War on July 10, 1940. At seventy-two years of age, Stimson assumed what would become the most consequential role of his career. His deputy secretaries included Robert P. Patterson and John J. McCloy, both of whom played important roles in the wartime administration. Stimson succeeded Harry H. Woodring, and upon his retirement in September 1945, Patterson succeeded him.

Working closely with Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, Stimson took charge of the massive task of raising, training, and equipping the American military for global war. Under his leadership, the War Department oversaw the mobilization of approximately 13 million soldiers and airmen and supervised military expenditures that consumed roughly one-third of the nation's gross domestic product. This mobilization was one of the largest military buildups in history and was fundamental to the Allied victory.

Stimson helped formulate overall military strategy and served as a key adviser to Roosevelt and, later, Truman on matters of war policy. His role extended beyond administrative management to direct participation in the highest-level strategic decisions of the conflict.

The Manhattan Project and the Atomic Bomb

Among Stimson's most historically significant responsibilities was his oversight of the Manhattan Project, the secret program to develop the first atomic weapons. As Secretary of War, Stimson bore direct responsibility for the project and served as the principal adviser to both Roosevelt and Truman on the use of the atomic bomb.

Stimson supported the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, viewing them as necessary to compel Japan's surrender and end the war without a costly land invasion of the Japanese home islands. However, Stimson also exercised a decisive restraining influence on the targeting process. He successfully convinced President Truman to remove the historic city of Kyoto from the list of atomic bomb targets, arguing that the destruction of a city of such cultural and historical significance would generate lasting resentment among the Japanese people and complicate postwar relations. This intervention is one of the most frequently cited examples of Stimson's influence on the conduct of the war.

The decision to use atomic weapons remains one of the most debated subjects in modern history. Stimson himself addressed the question in a widely read article published in Harper's Magazine in 1947, in which he provided an account of the deliberative process that led to the bombing.

Postwar Policy: Germany and War Crimes

During the final stages of the war and the immediate postwar period, Stimson played a central role in shaping American policy toward defeated Germany. He was a strong opponent of the Morgenthau Plan, proposed by Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr., which called for the deindustrialization of Germany and its partition into several smaller, agrarian states. Stimson argued that such a policy would be economically devastating, would create instability in Europe, and would be counterproductive to the goal of building a stable postwar order. His opposition contributed to the eventual abandonment of the Morgenthau Plan in favor of policies that allowed for German economic reconstruction.

Stimson also played a pivotal role in determining the treatment of captured Nazi leaders. He insisted on judicial proceedings rather than summary executions for accused war criminals, advocating for a process that would establish a legal record of Nazi atrocities and affirm the principle that leaders could be held accountable under international law. This position was instrumental in the establishment of the Nuremberg trials, which set enduring precedents for international criminal justice.

Martial Law in Hawaii

During the war, Stimson's authority as Secretary of War also extended to the imposition and maintenance of martial law in Hawaii following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The military government of Hawaii, which remained in effect for an extended period, raised significant civil liberties concerns and became a subject of legal and historical scrutiny.

Retirement

Stimson retired from office on September 21, 1945 — his seventy-eighth birthday. President Truman accepted his resignation in a letter dated September 19, 1945, which recognized Stimson's extraordinary contributions to the nation's wartime effort. In the letter, Truman expressed the nation's gratitude for Stimson's service through some of the most challenging years in American history.

Personal Life

Stimson married Mabel Wellington White. The couple maintained their estate, Highhold, in the West Hills area of Huntington, Long Island, New York, which served as their primary residence outside of Washington during Stimson's periods of government service.

Stimson was a member of the Republican Party throughout his political career, though his willingness to serve under Democratic presidents — most notably Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman — reflected his belief that national security and foreign policy transcended partisan considerations. This bipartisan approach to public service was characteristic of a generation of Eastern establishment figures who viewed government service as a duty rather than a partisan exercise.

Stimson was an Episcopalian and is buried at Memorial Cemetery of St. John's Church in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island.

He died at his home, Highhold, on October 20, 1950, at the age of eighty-three. His death was reported on the front page of The New York Times.

Recognition

Upon his retirement in September 1945, President Truman presented Stimson with the Distinguished Service Medal. The citation recognized his service "as Secretary of War from the beginning of the actual mobilization of the Army to the final victory over Japan," commending his leadership in overseeing the vast American military enterprise during World War II.

The Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy research organization based in Washington, D.C., was named in Stimson's honor. The center's mission of promoting international security and shared prosperity reflects Stimson's lifelong commitment to constructive American engagement in global affairs.

Stimson's papers and correspondence are preserved in archival collections that continue to serve as primary sources for historians studying twentieth-century American foreign policy, the development of nuclear weapons, and the conduct of World War II.

The United States Army Center of Military History maintains historical documentation of Stimson's contributions to military policy and administration.

Legacy

Henry L. Stimson's career encompassed some of the most transformative events of the twentieth century — the rise of American global power, two world wars, the dawn of the nuclear age, and the establishment of international institutions to adjudicate war crimes. His influence on American policy was exercised not through electoral politics but through appointed positions of administrative authority, and his career exemplified a model of nonpartisan public service that became increasingly rare in subsequent decades.

The Stimson Doctrine, articulated in response to Japanese aggression in Manchuria, established a principle of nonrecognition that became a foundational element of American foreign policy. The doctrine's insistence that territorial changes achieved through force would not receive international legitimacy anticipated the broader framework of collective security that emerged after World War II through the United Nations and other international bodies.

Stimson's role in the decision to use atomic weapons against Japan remains the most debated aspect of his legacy. His oversight of the Manhattan Project placed him at the center of what was arguably the single most consequential military decision in history. His simultaneous advocacy for removing Kyoto from the target list demonstrated the complex moral calculations that characterized the wartime leadership's approach to the use of unprecedented destructive power.

His insistence on judicial proceedings for Nazi war criminals, rather than summary punishment, contributed directly to the creation of the Nuremberg trials and, by extension, to the development of international criminal law. The principle that political and military leaders could be held legally accountable for crimes against humanity represented a significant advance in international jurisprudence.

Stimson's opposition to the Morgenthau Plan and his advocacy for a constructive approach to postwar Germany anticipated the policies that ultimately led to the Marshall Plan and the reconstruction of Western Europe as a bulwark of democratic governance and economic stability.

The Stimson Center, named in his honor, continues to operate as a policy research institution addressing contemporary challenges to international peace and security, reflecting the enduring relevance of the principles that guided Stimson's public career.