James Vincent Forrestal (1892–1949) was an American official who shaped U.S. military policy during and after World War II. The first U.S. Secretary of Defense (1947–49,) he previously led naval expansion during the war.
Born in Matteawan, New York (now Beacon,) he attended Dartmouth College before transferring to Princeton University, earning his degree (1915.) Initially a Wall Street executive, he later moved into public service.
After serving in naval aviation during World War I, Forrestal became president of a New York City investment firm (1938.) In 1940, he was named administrative assistant to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and later Under Secretary of the Navy (1944,) expanding U.S. Navy capabilities. As Secretary of Defense (1947) under President Harry S. Truman, he oversaw the military’s unification.
A staunch anti-Communist, he worried about Soviet expansion. The pressures of his role affected his mental health, leading to his resignation (1949.) Shortly after, he died under tragic circumstances.
His writings include The Forrestal Diaries (1951,) offering insights into military strategy. Townsend Hoopes and Douglas Brinkley’s Driven Patriot: The Life and Times of James Forrestal (1992) examines his career and struggles.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by James Forrestal
Courage is the capacity to conduct oneself with restraint in times of prosperity and with courage and tenacity when things do not go well.
—James Forrestal
Topics: Courage, Bravery
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