Herbert Feis

Herbert Feis. An American economic advisor and historian, he served in the United States Department of State during the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman administrations. He later became a prominent scholar of diplomatic history, winning the Pulitzer Prize for History and the Bancroft Prize for his authoritative work on the origins of the Second World War. His career uniquely bridged high-level government service and rigorous academic scholarship, providing an insider's perspective on international relations.

Early life and education

Born in New York City, he was the son of a successful physician. He attended Harvard University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1916 and later completed a Ph.D. in economics in 1921. His doctoral studies were supervised by the renowned economist Alvin Hansen, focusing on international economic issues. This academic foundation at Harvard University positioned him for a career examining the intersection of economics and global politics.

Career and government service

After teaching at several universities, he joined the United States Department of State in 1931 as an advisor on international economic affairs. During the Great Depression, he worked on critical issues like war debt and international trade. His role expanded significantly under Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and he served as the department's principal economic advisor during the Second World War. He participated in major wartime conferences, including the Bretton Woods Conference that established the International Monetary Fund, and maintained close working relationships with key figures like Dean Acheson and Henry L. Stimson.

Historical works and scholarship

Upon leaving government service in 1947, he embarked on a prolific second career as a historian. His major works form a detailed narrative of the road to war and its aftermath, beginning with The Road to Pearl Harbor: The Coming of the War Between the United States and Japan. This was followed by a trilogy on the Allied wartime conferences: Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin: The War They Waged and the Peace They Sought, Between War and Peace: The Potsdam Conference, and The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II. His rigorous use of official documents and personal experience gave his scholarship notable authority.

Views and historical interpretation

His historical interpretation is often characterized as "orthodox" or "traditional," emphasizing the role of German and Japanese aggression in causing the Second World War. He was a staunch defender of the policies of the Roosevelt administration, including the embargo against Japan and the decision to use the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While respected for his documentary thoroughness, his views were later challenged by "revisionist" historians like William Appleman Williams, who placed greater emphasis on American economic expansion as a factor in international tensions.

Later life and legacy

In 1961, his book Between War and Peace: The Potsdam Conference was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize for History and the Bancroft Prize, cementing his academic reputation. He continued to write and lecture, contributing to the Council on Foreign Relations and publishing works like 1933: Characters in Crisis. He passed away in Winter Park, Florida. His extensive collection of personal papers is housed at the Library of Congress, serving as a vital resource for scholars of twentieth-century diplomatic history and American foreign policy. Category:American historians Category:American economists Category:Pulitzer Prize winners