Born December 25, 1906
Fort Scott, Kansas
Died October 10, 1998
Bethesda, Maryland

U.S. secretary of defense and counsel

Clark M. Clifford's public career spanned the years of the Cold War (1945–91). He was an influential advisor to every Democratic president from Harry S. Truman (1884–1972; served 1945–53; see entry) to Jimmy Carter (1924–; served 1977–81; see entry). As a special advisor to President Truman, Clifford assisted in the formulation of the Truman Doctrine, the U.S. policy of giving aid to forces engaged in resisting communist aggression. He was a political strategist in both foreign and domestic policy and was one of the most prominent and influential members of Truman's staff.

Clark Clifford guided the merger of the military service departments into the Department of Defense under the National Security Act of 1947. The...