Christian Herter

Christian Herter
Christian Herter
Born	Christian Archibald Herter 28 3, 1895
Birthplace	Paris, France
Died	Template:Death date and age Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Diplomat, politician
Known for	53rd United States Secretary of State; 59th Governor of Massachusetts; 1st United States Trade Representative
Education	Harvard University (BA) Columbia University
Awards	Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship (posthumous namesake)

Christian Archibald Herter (March 28, 1895 – December 30, 1966) was an American diplomat and Republican politician whose career in public service spanned more than four decades, from the aftermath of World War I to the height of the Cold War. Born in Paris to American expatriate parents, Herter's life traced a remarkable arc through some of the most consequential episodes in twentieth-century American governance and diplomacy. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, rising to Speaker, before representing Massachusetts in the United States Congress for five terms. He was elected the 59th Governor of Massachusetts in 1952 and served until 1957. President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him Under Secretary of State in 1957 and then elevated him to the position of Secretary of State in 1959, succeeding the ailing John Foster Dulles. In that role, Herter navigated a series of tense confrontations with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during some of the coldest years of the Cold War. Following the change in administration, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Herter as the first United States Trade Representative, a position he held until his death in 1966.

Early Life

Christian Archibald Herter was born on March 28, 1895, in Paris, France, to American expatriate parents who were artists living abroad. His upbringing in the cultural milieu of turn-of-the-century Paris gave him early exposure to European affairs and international perspectives that would later inform his diplomatic career. The Herter family maintained strong ties to the United States, and Christian was raised with a dual awareness of both European and American culture.

Despite his birth in France, Herter was an American citizen and eventually returned to the United States for his education and career. His early years in Paris provided him with fluency in French and a cosmopolitan sensibility that distinguished him among his American peers. The experience of growing up abroad during a period of significant geopolitical tension in Europe — in the years leading up to World War I — shaped his worldview and planted the seeds of his lifelong engagement with international relations and diplomacy.

Herter's family background in the arts gave him an appreciation for culture and intellectual life, though he would ultimately pursue a career in law, public policy, and government rather than follow his parents into artistic endeavors. His formative years spent between Europe and the United States gave him an unusual breadth of experience for a young American of his generation and provided a foundation for his later work as a diplomat and statesman.

Education

Herter attended Harvard University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. Harvard provided him with a rigorous academic grounding and connected him to a network of influential Americans who would become important figures in politics, business, and diplomacy throughout the twentieth century. He also attended Columbia University, furthering his academic credentials. His educational background at two of the nation's most prestigious institutions equipped him with the intellectual tools and social connections that would prove essential throughout his long career in public service.

Career

Early Diplomatic Service and Entry into Politics

Herter's career in public service began in the diplomatic sphere during and after World War I. He was involved in early diplomatic efforts and became acquainted with the machinery of American foreign policy at a formative stage. This early exposure to international affairs gave him practical experience in diplomacy that complemented his academic training.

Herter's involvement in studies and planning that preceded the Marshall Plan demonstrated his early engagement with questions of European recovery and American foreign economic policy. His contributions during this period helped lay the groundwork for one of the most significant American foreign policy initiatives of the postwar era.

Herter entered Massachusetts state politics in 1931, when he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 5th Suffolk district, succeeding Henry Lee Shattuck. He served in the state legislature for over a decade, earning a reputation as a capable and moderate Republican legislator. His rise through the ranks of the Massachusetts House was steady, and by 1939, he had been elected Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, succeeding Horace T. Cahill. He held the speakership until 1943, a period during which he oversaw legislative business during the early years of American involvement in World War II.

During this period, Herter also served as president of the board of trustees at the Dexter School from 1937 to 1939, reflecting his involvement in civic and educational affairs beyond his legislative duties.

United States Congress

In 1942, Herter was elected to the United States House of Representatives, succeeding George H. Tinkham in representing Massachusetts. He took office on January 3, 1943, and served five consecutive terms in Congress, remaining in the House until January 3, 1953. During his decade in Congress, Herter established himself as a moderate Republican voice on both domestic and foreign policy issues. His internationalist outlook, shaped by his upbringing in Europe and his early diplomatic experience, placed him among those Republicans who supported American engagement in international institutions and alliances during the early Cold War period.

Herter's tenure in Congress coincided with some of the most transformative years of American foreign policy, including the creation of the United Nations, the implementation of the Marshall Plan, the formation of NATO, and the onset of the Cold War. His positions reflected a pragmatic internationalism that was consistent with the bipartisan foreign policy consensus of the era. He was succeeded in Congress by Laurence Curtis when he left to assume the governorship of Massachusetts.

Governor of Massachusetts

Herter was elected the 59th Governor of Massachusetts in 1952, defeating the incumbent Democrat Paul A. Dever. He took office on January 8, 1953, with Sumner G. Whittier serving as his lieutenant governor. Herter's governorship lasted until January 3, 1957, encompassing a single four-year term during which he brought his moderate Republican approach to state governance.

As governor, Herter represented a strand of New England Republicanism that was socially moderate and fiscally pragmatic, a tradition that would become increasingly rare in the Republican Party in subsequent decades. His administration in Massachusetts was characterized by the kind of measured, bipartisan governance that had marked his legislative career. An editorial reflection published in The Boston Globe noted that Massachusetts once had liberal Republicans of Herter's type, a tradition that has largely disappeared from the state's political landscape.

Herter chose not to seek a second term as governor, and he was succeeded by Democrat Foster Furcolo in January 1957. His departure from the Massachusetts statehouse did not mark the end of his public service career; rather, it opened the door to his most prominent roles on the national and international stage.

Under Secretary of State

Following his governorship, Herter was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve as the 20th United States Under Secretary of State, taking office on February 21, 1957. He succeeded Herbert Hoover Jr. in the position and served under Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The Under Secretary role placed Herter at the center of American foreign policy during a particularly turbulent period of the Cold War, including crises in the Middle East, tensions over Berlin, and the ongoing competition with the Soviet Union for global influence.

In his capacity as Under Secretary, Herter became increasingly involved in the day-to-day management of American diplomacy as Dulles's health began to deteriorate. This experience prepared him for the larger responsibilities that would soon follow. He served as Under Secretary until April 22, 1959, when he was elevated to the position of Secretary of State.

Secretary of State

Christian Herter became the 53rd United States Secretary of State on April 22, 1959, succeeding John Foster Dulles, who had resigned due to terminal cancer. President Eisenhower selected Herter for the role in large part because of his demonstrated competence as Under Secretary and his deep familiarity with the issues and personnel of American foreign policy. Herter served as Secretary of State until January 20, 1961, the end of the Eisenhower administration.

Herter's tenure as Secretary of State was dominated by the intensifying Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. His moderate and measured approach to negotiations stood in contrast to the confrontational style of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. A series of episodes during 1960 and 1961 tested Herter's diplomatic skills and pushed the Cold War to new levels of tension. Among the most significant of these was the U-2 incident of May 1960, in which an American reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over Soviet territory, leading to the collapse of the Paris Summit Conference. The incident and its aftermath represented one of the most embarrassing episodes in American Cold War diplomacy and placed Herter in the difficult position of managing the fallout while maintaining American credibility.

According to the Miller Center at the University of Virginia, Herter's moderate tone of negotiations was confronted by the intensity of Khrushchev in a series of unpleasant episodes that turned the Cold War even colder in 1960–61. Despite these challenges, Herter was regarded as a competent and steady hand at the State Department during a period of extraordinary difficulty. He managed American diplomatic relations during the final years of the Eisenhower presidency with professionalism, even as the broader geopolitical landscape grew more dangerous.

Herter also dealt with the ongoing crisis over the status of Berlin, where the Soviet Union periodically threatened to alter the postwar arrangements that governed the divided city. The question of Berlin remained one of the most dangerous flashpoints of the Cold War throughout Herter's tenure, requiring careful diplomacy to avoid escalation while maintaining Western resolve.

He was succeeded as Secretary of State by Dean Rusk upon the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in January 1961.

United States Trade Representative

Despite the change from a Republican to a Democratic administration, Herter's expertise and reputation for bipartisan service led to his appointment by President Kennedy as the first United States Trade Representative, a newly established position reflecting the growing importance of international trade policy in American foreign relations. Herter took office on December 10, 1962, and served in this capacity under both President Kennedy and, following Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson.

As the inaugural holder of the position, Herter was responsible for establishing the office and defining its role in the formulation and execution of American trade policy. His appointment by a Democratic president — despite his lifelong Republican affiliation — underscored the bipartisan respect he commanded and the recognition that trade policy transcended partisan considerations during the Cold War era. Herter held the position of Trade Representative until his death on December 30, 1966. He was succeeded by William M. Roth.

Personal Life

Christian Herter married and had at least one son, Christian A. Herter Jr., who went on to a distinguished career of his own in public service. The younger Herter became a lawyer and was the first chairman of the New York Urban Coalition in the 1960s. Christian A. Herter Jr. died on September 16, 2007, at the age of 88.

Herter suffered from arthritis that affected his mobility in his later years, a condition that was visible during his time as Secretary of State. Despite this physical challenge, he continued to serve in demanding public positions until the end of his life.

Christian Herter died on December 30, 1966, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 71. He was buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery. Upon his death, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a public statement expressing his sorrow, calling Herter "a great American" whose "life and career spanned a period" of profound significance in American history.

The New York Times published an obituary noting his death at 71 and summarizing his career as Secretary of State from 1959 to 1961, among his other public service roles.

Recognition

Herter's contributions to public service have been commemorated in several ways. The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship was established in Massachusetts to recognize outstanding high school students. The scholarship continues to be awarded to students across the state, reflecting Herter's connection to Massachusetts and his commitment to education and public service. In 2019, for example, a student from Pingree School in Hamilton, Massachusetts, was selected as a recipient of the scholarship.

Christian Herter Park, located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston along the Charles River, is named in his honor. The park includes an amphitheater that, after years of neglect, was fully renovated and reopened in 2017 to host performances and public events. The Boston Globe reported in August 2017 that the amphitheater at Herter Park was "fully renovated and ready to host performances" after being "neglected and unused for years." The park and its amphitheater have since become a venue for community events, including free outdoor concerts.

Herter's papers and archival materials are preserved at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, providing researchers with access to documentation from his years of service in the Eisenhower administration.

Legacy

Christian Herter's career exemplified a tradition of moderate, internationalist Republicanism that was influential in American politics from the 1940s through the 1960s. His willingness to serve in a Democratic administration as the first United States Trade Representative reflected his commitment to bipartisan public service and his belief that certain areas of national policy — particularly foreign affairs and trade — should transcend partisan divisions.

As Secretary of State, Herter managed American diplomacy during one of the most dangerous periods of the Cold War. While the confrontations with Khrushchev during his tenure did not produce the diplomatic breakthroughs that some had hoped for, Herter maintained a steady and measured approach that helped prevent escalation during a period of extreme tension. His moderate temperament and diplomatic skill were assets during a time when miscalculation could have had catastrophic consequences.

Herter's career arc — from the Massachusetts statehouse to the halls of Congress, the governor's office, and the highest levels of American diplomacy — represented a comprehensive engagement with public life that few of his contemporaries could match. His service across multiple branches and levels of government gave him a breadth of experience that informed his approach to the complex challenges of Cold War diplomacy and international trade policy.

President Johnson's tribute upon Herter's death — calling him "a great American" — captured the bipartisan esteem in which he was held at the time of his passing. The continuation of the Herter Memorial Scholarship and the ongoing use of Christian Herter Park in Boston serve as enduring reminders of his contributions to Massachusetts and to the nation.