| Edward Reilly Stettinius, Jr., businessman and government official under Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, has often been portrayed as a well-meaning but generally inept secretary of state. A detailed study based on Stettinius' private papers, government documents and contemporary accounts shows that under the conditions imposed upon him, Stettinius was able to function on a higher level than has usually been perceived. Stettinius had a positive influence on the Office of Lend-Lease Administration, the reorganization of the Department of State, the Crimea Conference and the establishment of the United Nations. The sources show Stettinius to have been a highly motivated, energetic and successful businessman who served his country for patriotic and humanitarian reasons. |
