biography
| name: |
Forrestal, James (Vincent)
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1892–1949)
|
| biography:
| Cabinet officer, born in Matteawan (now Beacon), New York, USA. After making a fortune as an investment banker, he became the under-secretary (1940) and then secretary of the navy (1944). Although originally opposed to uniting the armed services into one department, he became the first secretary of defence (1947–9), where he advocated hard-line anti-Communist policies and strengthened the armed forces. Increasingly beset by interservice rivalries, questions of combat strength, and appropriations, he resigned in 1949. Convinced that he had failed to protect his country, he took his life. |
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