Born: 1909 Death: 1994 Born to middle class family Grew up with facination for politics and international

relations Educated at Davidson College, North Carolina and at

Oxford University – returned to the US to become a lecturer

Rusk was appointed by President Harry S. Truman as Special Assistant to the Secretary of War in 1946.

He also served as Special Assistant for Far Eastern Affairs (1950-51).

He believed that appeasement of aggressors had led to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939

Strongly against Communism - determined to oppose communist aggression

He had strong doubts about US intervention in Vietnam

Rusk at first didn’t support the actions in Vietnam but then later on changed his views and supported the force against communism in Vietnam

Mr. Rusk came to spend most of his time as Secretary dealing with Vietnam, and some other notable foreign-policy spheres was less publicized and less crucial.

The president complained that the methodical Rusk was frustrating, slow and indecisive

Kennedy preferred more decisive recommendations and scathingly referred to Rusk as ‘a good errand boy’

Considerable influence on USA’s policies on Vietnam since the late 40’s (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy)

Kennedy confessed that he wanted to dominate foreign policy personally, so the ‘self-effacing’ Rusk seemed a good choice

Didn’t get on with Kennedy- found it impossible to communicate

Rusk was not Kennedy's first choice, but rather the lowest common denominator

Disliked by Bobby Kennedy- claimed to have a near mental and physical breakdown during the Cuban missile crisis

Rusk repeatedly offered his resignation, but it was never accepted.