Ernest Gruening

Ernest Gruening
Name	Ernest Gruening
Caption	Gruening in 1962
Office	United States Senator from Alaska
Term start	January 3, 1959
Term end	January 3, 1969
Successor	Mike Gravel
Order2	7th
Office2	Governor of Alaska
Term start2	December 6, 1939
Term end2	April 10, 1953
Predecessor2	John Weir Troy
Successor2	B. Frank Heintzleman
Birth name	Ernest Henry Gruening
Birth date	6 February 1887
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Death date	26 June 1974
Death place	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Dorothy Elizabeth Smith, 1914, 1974
Children	3, including Hunt Gruening
Education	Harvard University (BA, MD)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1917–1919
Rank	Captain
Battles	World War I

Ernest Gruening was an American journalist, author, and politician who played a pivotal role in the development of Alaska and became a prominent national figure for his early opposition to the Vietnam War. After a distinguished career in journalism and serving as the appointed Territorial Governor of Alaska for over a decade, he was elected as one of the state's first U.S. Senators following statehood. His political legacy is most defined by his principled and lonely stand against American military escalation in Southeast Asia, making him one of only two senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

Early life and education

Ernest Henry Gruening was born in New York City to a family of German Jewish descent. He pursued higher education at the prestigious Harvard University, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1907 and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 1912. Although trained as a physician, Gruening never practiced medicine, instead gravitating toward writing and public affairs. During World War I, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

Journalism career

Gruening's journalism career began in earnest in the 1920s, establishing him as a progressive voice. He worked as a reporter and editor for several publications, including the Boston Evening Transcript, *The Nation*, and the New York Evening Post. He served as managing editor of the influential *New York Tribune* and later as editor of the Portland Evening News in Maine. His expertise led to his appointment as director of the Department of the Interior's Division of Territories and Island Possessions under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, where he first became deeply involved in Alaskan affairs.

Political career

In 1939, President Roosevelt appointed Gruening as the Governor of the Territory of Alaska, a position he held for nearly fourteen years through the administrations of Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. His tenure was marked by vigorous advocacy for Alaskan statehood, economic development, and improved infrastructure, often clashing with powerful interests like the Alaska Salmon Industry. He worked to address the needs of Alaska Natives and bolster the territory's defenses during World War II, earning him the nickname "the father of Alaska statehood."

U.S. Senate tenure

Following the admission of Alaska to the Union in 1959, Gruening was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate. Alongside his colleague Senator Bob Bartlett, he focused on securing federal resources for the new state, championing projects like the Alaska Railroad and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. He served on key committees including the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where his international outlook took shape.

Opposition to the Vietnam War

Gruening's most historic act came on August 7, 1964, when he and Senator Wayne Morse cast the only two votes against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authority to escalate military involvement in Vietnam. He denounced the action as an unconstitutional "predated declaration of war" and continued his vocal opposition through speeches, articles, and the 1966 book *Vietnam Folly*. His stance, though controversial and contributing to his eventual electoral defeat, established him as a prescient and courageous critic of the conflict.

Later life and death

After losing his Senate seat in the 1968 Democratic primary to Mike Gravel, Gruening remained in Washington, D.C., where he continued to write and advocate for liberal causes. He received honors such as the ACLU's Roger Baldwin Medal of Liberty. Ernest Gruening died of arteriosclerosis in Washington, D.C. on June 26, 1974. He is interred at Arlington National Cemetery, and his papers are held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Category:1887 births Category:1974 deaths Category:American military personnel of World War I Category:Governors of Alaska Category:United States senators from Alaska Category:American anti–Vietnam War activists