Edward stettinius biography

Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Edward Reilly Stettinius Jr. (1900–1949)

Edward Reilly Stettinius Jr. - People - Department History

Introduction

Edward Reilly Stettinius, Jr. served as Secretary of State from December 1, 1944, until June 27, 1945, under Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. As Secretary of State, he oversaw the end of the Second World War in Europe and the creation of the United Nations.

Edward Reilly Stettinius, Jr., 48th Secretary of State

Rise to Prominence

Stettinius was born in Chicago on October 22, 1900. Stettinius graduated from the Pomfret School in 1920 before beginning his coursework at the University of Virginia. He left Virginia in 1924 without receiving a degree and two years later became the assistant to General Motors’ Vice-President John Lee Pratt.

Stettinius took over Pratt’s position in 1931 and came to know Franklin Delano Roosevelt through his work developing unemployment relief programs. After leaving General Motors in 1934, he worked for the United States Steel Corporation until 1940, becoming Ch

Edward Stettinius Jr.

American businessman and diplomat (1900–1949)

For his father, president of Diamond Match Company and Assistant Secretary of War, see Edward R. Stettinius.

Edward Stettinius Jr.

Stettinius in 1939

In office
January 17, 1946 – June 3, 1946
PresidentHarry S. Truman
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byWarren Austin
In office
December 1, 1944 – June 27, 1945
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Preceded byCordell Hull
Succeeded byJames F. Byrnes
In office
October 4, 1943 – November 30, 1944
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded bySumner Welles
Succeeded byJoseph Grew
In office
March 11, 1941 – September 25, 1943
PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byLeo Crowley (Foreign Economic Administration)
Born

Edward Reilly Stettinius Jr.


(1900-10-22)October 22, 1900
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedOctober 31, 1949(1949-10-31) (aged 49)
Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Rest

Spartacus Educational

Edward Stettinius was born in Chicago on 22nd October 1900. He was a student at the University of Virginia before starting work with the General Motors Corporation in 1924.

In 1934 Stettinius joined the US Steel Corporation where he became chairman of the board. In May 1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited Stettinius to become the head of the new National Defense Advisory Commission.

After serving in the Office of Production Management he was appointed Lend-Lease administrator in January 1941. Appointed under secretary of state in October 1943 he replaced his boss, Cordell Hull, in December 1944.

Stettinius went with Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta and was a delegate to the UN Conference at San Francisco in June 1945. Edward Stettinius, who also served as US representative to the United Nations, died in in 1949.

By John Simkin (john@spartacus-educational.com) © September 1997 (updated January 2020).

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