Johnson, Louis
Johnson, Louis (1891–1966), secretary of defense.As defense secretary from 28 March 1949 to 19 September 1950, Louis Johnson was best known for his controversial money‐saving measures. The most contentious was his decision in April 1949 to cancel the navy's experimental flush‐deck “supercarrier,” the United States, which was in the initial stages of construction. Johnson thought the supercarrier would duplicate strategic bombing functions performed by the air force, but his cancelation order outraged the navy and its partisans and provoked a congressional investigation. Johnson insisted he was only complying with PresidentHarry S. Truman's instructions to hold down defense spending. He was absolved of any wrongdoing, but some critics felt his economy drive went too far and weakened the armed forces.
Johnson's tempestuous tenure as secretary of defense came in the wake of earlier...
[The entire page is 387 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Oxford University Press Titles
