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Alexander Haig

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr.[a] (December 2, 1924 – February 20, 2010) was United States secretary of state under president Ronald Reagan and White House chief of staff under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.[1] Prior to and in between these cabinet-level positions, he was a general in the U.S. Army, serving first as the vice chief of staff of the Army and then as Supreme Allied Commander Europe. In 1973, Haig became the youngest four-star general in the Army's history.

Alexander Haig
Haig c. 1970s
59th United States Secretary of State
In office
January 22, 1981 – July 5, 1982
PresidentRonald Reagan
DeputyWilliam P. Clark Jr.
Walter J. Stoessel Jr.
Preceded byEdmund Muskie
Succeeded byGeorge Shultz
7th Supreme Allied Commander Europe
In office
December 15, 1974 – July 1, 1979
PresidentGerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
DeputyJohn Mogg
Harry Tuzo
Gerd Schmückle
Preceded byAndrew Goodpaster
Succeeded byBernard W. Rogers
5th White House Chief of Staff
In office
May 4, 1973 – September 21, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Preceded byH. R. Haldeman
Succeeded byDonald Rumsfeld
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
In office
January 4, 1973 – May 4, 1973
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byBruce Palmer Jr.
Succeeded byFrederick C. Weyand
6th Deputy National Security Advisor
In office
June 1970 – January 4, 1973
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byRichard V. Allen
Succeeded byBrent Scowcroft
Personal details
Born
Alexander Meigs Haig Jr.

(1924-12-02)December 2, 1924
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 20, 2010(2010-02-20) (aged 85)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Patricia Fox
(m. 1950)
Children3, including Brian
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame
United States Military Academy (BS)
Columbia University (MBA)
Georgetown University (MA)
Signature
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1947–1979
RankGeneral
Battles/warsKorean War
Vietnam War
Awards

Haig was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and served in the Korean War, during which he served as an aide to general Alonzo Patrick Fox and general Edward Almond. Afterward, he served as an aide to defense secretary Robert McNamara. During the Vietnam War, Haig commanded a battalion and later a brigade of the 1st Infantry Division. For his service, Haig received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, and the Purple Heart.[2]

In 1969, Haig became an assistant to national security advisor Henry Kissinger. He became vice chief of staff of the Army, the Army's second-highest-ranking position, in 1972. After the 1973 resignation of H. R. Haldeman, Haig became President Nixon's chief of staff. Serving in the wake of the Watergate scandal, he became especially influential in the final months of Nixon's tenure, playing a role in persuading Nixon to resign in 1974. Haig continued to serve as chief of staff for the first month of President Ford's tenure. From 1974 to 1979, Haig served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, commanding all NATO forces in Europe. He retired from the army in 1979 and pursued a career in business.

After Reagan won the 1980 U.S. presidential election, he nominated Haig to be his secretary of state. After the Reagan assassination attempt, Haig said "I am in control here, in the White House", despite not being next in the line of succession. During the Falklands War, Haig sought to broker peace between the United Kingdom and Argentina. He resigned from Reagan's cabinet in July 1982. He unsuccessfully sought the presidential nomination in the 1988 Republican primaries. He also served as the head of a consulting firm and hosted the television program World Business Review.[3]

Early life and education edit

Haig was born in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, the middle of three children of Alexander Meigs Haig, a Republican lawyer of Scottish descent, and his wife, Regina Anne (née Murphy).[4] When Haig was 9, his father, aged 41, died of cancer. His Irish American mother raised her children in the Catholic faith.[5] Haig initially attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on scholarship; when he was withdrawn due to poor academic performance, he transferred to Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1942.

Initially unable to secure his desired appointment to the United States Military Academy (with one teacher opining that "Al is definitely not West Point material"), Haig studied at the University of Notre Dame (where he reportedly earned a "string of A's" in an "intellectual awakening")[6] for two years before securing a congressional appointment to the academy in 1944 at the behest of his uncle, who served as the Philadelphia municipal government's director of public works.[6]

Enrolled in an accelerated wartime curriculum that deemphasized the humanities and social sciences, Haig graduated in the bottom third of his class[7] (ranked 214 of 310) in 1947.[8] Although a West Point superintendent characterized Haig as "the last man in his class anyone expected to become the first general",[9] other classmates acknowledged his "strong convictions and even stronger ambitions".[8] Haig later earned an M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School in 1955 and an M.A. in international relations from Georgetown University in 1961. His thesis for the latter degree examined the role of military officers in making national policy.

Early military career edit

Korean War edit

As a young officer, Haig served as an aide to Lieutenant General Alonzo Patrick Fox, a deputy chief of staff to General Douglas MacArthur. In 1950 Haig married Fox's daughter, Patricia.[7] In the early days of the Korean War, Haig was responsible for maintaining General MacArthur's situation map and briefing MacArthur each evening on the day's battlefield events.[10] Haig later served (1950–51) with the X Corps, as aide to MacArthur's chief of staff, General Edward Almond,[2] who awarded Haig two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star with Valor device.[11] Haig participated in four Korean War campaigns, including the Battle of Inchon, the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and the evacuation of Hŭngnam,[10] as Almond's aide.

Pentagon assignments edit

Haig served as a staff officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the Pentagon (1962–64), and then was appointed military assistant to Secretary of the Army Stephen Ailes in 1964. He then was appointed military assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, continuing in that service until the end of 1965.[7] In 1966, Haig graduated from the United States Army War College.

Vietnam War edit

 
Major General Haig being presented with the Distinguished Service Medal by President Nixon in the Oval Office, 1973

In 1966 Haig took command of a battalion of the 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. On May 22, 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Haig was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the U.S. Army's second highest medal for valor, by General William Westmoreland as a result of his actions during the Battle of Ap Gu in March 1967.[12] During the battle, Haig's troops (of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment) became pinned down by a Viet Cong force that outnumbered U.S. forces by three to one. In an attempt to survey the battlefield, Haig boarded a helicopter and flew to the point of contact. His helicopter was subsequently shot down. Two days of bloody hand-to-hand combat ensued. An excerpt from Haig's official Army citation follows:

When two of his companies were engaged by a large hostile force, Colonel Haig landed amid a hail of fire, personally took charge of the units, called for artillery and air fire support and succeeded in soundly defeating the insurgent force ... the next day a barrage of 400 rounds was fired by the Viet Cong, but it was ineffective because of the warning and preparations by Colonel Haig. As the barrage subsided, a force three times larger than his began a series of human wave assaults on the camp. Heedless of the danger himself, Colonel Haig repeatedly braved intense hostile fire to survey the battlefield. His personal courage and determination, and his skillful employment of every defense and support tactic possible, inspired his men to fight with previously unimagined power. Although his force was outnumbered three to one, Colonel Haig succeeded in inflicting 592 casualties on the Viet Cong ... HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2318 (May 22, 1967)[13]

Haig was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart during his tour in Vietnam[12] and was eventually promoted to colonel as commander of 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam.

Return to West Point edit

Following his one-year Vietnam tour, Haig returned to the United States to become regimental commander of the Third Regiment of the Corps of Cadets at West Point under the newly appointed commandant, Brigadier General Bernard W. Rogers. Both had previously served together in the 1st Infantry Division, Rogers as assistant division commander and Haig as brigade commander.

Security adviser and vice chief of staff (1969–1973) edit

In 1969, he was appointed military assistant to the assistant to the president for national security affairs, Henry Kissinger. A year later, he replaced Richard V. Allen as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs. During this period, he was promoted to brigadier general (September 1969) and major general (March 1972).

In this position, Haig helped South Vietnamese president Nguyen Van Thieu negotiate the final cease-fire talks in 1972. Haig continued in the role until January 4, 1973,[14] when he became vice chief of staff of the Army. Nixon planned to appoint Haig as chief of staff over Creighton Abrams, who he personally disliked, but secretary of defense Melvin Laird resisted as Haig lacked the relevant upper-level command experience.[15] He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in October 1972, thus skipping the rank of lieutenant general. By appointing him to this billet, Nixon "passed over 240 generals" who were senior to Haig.[16]

White House Chief of Staff (1973–1974) edit

Nixon administration edit

 
Kissinger, Nixon, Ford, and Haig in a meeting regarding Ford's upcoming appointment as vice president, 1973

After only four months as VCSA, Haig returned to the Nixon administration at the height of the Watergate affair as White House chief of staff in May 1973. Retaining his Army commission, he remained in the position until September 21, 1974, ultimately overseeing the transition to the presidency of Gerald Ford following Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974.

Haig has been largely credited with keeping the government running while President Nixon was preoccupied with Watergate[1] and was essentially seen as the "acting president" during Nixon's last few months in office.[7] During July and early August 1974, Haig played an instrumental role in persuading Nixon to resign. Haig presented several pardon options to Ford a few days before Nixon resigned. In this regard, in his 1999 book Shadow, author Bob Woodward describes Haig's role as the point man between Nixon and Ford during the final days of Nixon's presidency. According to Woodward, Haig played a major behind-the-scenes role in the delicate negotiations of the transfer of power from Nixon to Ford.[17] Indeed, about one month after taking office, Ford did pardon Nixon, resulting in much controversy.

However, Haig denied the allegation that he played a key role in arbitrating Nixon's resignation by offering Ford's pardon to Nixon. One of the most crucial moments occurred a day before Haig's departure to Europe to begin his tenure as NATO Supreme Allied Commander. Haig was telephoned by J. Fred Buzhardt, who once served as special White House counsel for Watergate matters.[18][19] In the call, Buzhardt discussed with Haig President Ford's upcoming speech to the nation about pardoning Nixon, informing Haig that the speech contained something indicating Haig's role in Nixon's resignation and Ford's pardon of Nixon. According to Haig's autobiography (Inner Circles: How America Changed the World), Haig was furious and immediately drove straight to the White House to determine the veracity of Buzhardt's claims. This was due to his concern that Ford's speech would expose Haig's role in negotiating Nixon's resignation supposedly in exchange for a pardon issued by the new president.[18][19]

On August 7, 1974, two days before Nixon's resignation, Haig met with Nixon in the Oval Office to discuss the transition. Following their conversation, Nixon told Haig "You fellows, in your business, have a way of handling problems like this. Give them a pistol and leave the room. I don't have a pistol, Al."[20]

Ford administration edit

 
Haig's official chief of staff portrait

Following Nixon's resignation, Haig remained briefly as White House Chief of Staff under Ford. Haig aided in the transition by advising the new president mostly on policy matters on which he had been working under the Nixon presidency and introducing Ford to the White House staff and their daily activities. Haig recommended that Ford retain several of Nixon's White House staff for 30 days to provide an orderly transition. Haig and Kissinger also advised Ford on Nixon's détente policy with the Soviet Union following the SALT I treaty in 1972.

Haig found it difficult to get along with the new administration and wanted to return to the Army for his last command. It had also been rumored that Ford wanted to be his own chief of staff. At first Ford decided to replace Haig with Robert T. Hartmann, Ford's chief of staff during his tenure as vice president.[19][18][21] Ford soon replaced Hartmann with United States Permanent Ambassador to NATO Donald Rumsfeld. Author and Haig biographer Roger Morris, a former colleague of Haig's on the National Security Council early in Nixon's first term, wrote that when Ford pardoned Nixon, he in effect pardoned Haig as well.[22]

Haig resigned from his position as White House Chief of Staff and returned to active duty in the United States Army in September 1974.[18]

NATO Supreme Allied Commander (1974–1979) edit

 
General Haig during his tenure as Supreme Allied Commander Europe

In December 1974, Haig was appointed as the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe by President Ford, replacing General Andrew Goodpaster and returning to active duty in the United States Army. Haig also became the front-runner to be the 27th U.S. Army Chief of Staff, following the death of General Creighton Abrams from complications of surgery to remove lung cancer on September 4, 1974. However it was General Frederick C. Weyand who ultimately filled Abrams's position as Chief of Staff.[18] From 1974 to 1979 Haig served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the commander of NATO forces in Europe, as well as commander-in-chief of United States European Command. During his tenure as SACEUR, Haig focused on transforming SACEUR in order to face the future global challenge following the end of the Vietnam War and the rise of Soviet influence within Eastern Europe.

Haig focused on strengthening the relationship between the United States and NATO member nations and their allies. As a result, several fleets of United States Air Force aircraft, such as the F-111 Aardvark from the Strategic Air Command, were relocated to US Air Force bases located in Europe.[18] Haig also stressed the importance of increasing the training of US troops deployed in Europe following his tour of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, on which Haig saw poorly-disciplined and ill-trained troops. As a result, Haig conducted routine inspections during NATO troops' training and often went to the training site and participated in the training itself. Haig also recommended the revitalization of equipment in the US installations in Europe and US troops deployed in Europe, in order to strengthen deterrence from possible attack.[18]

Haig took the same route to SHAPE every day—a pattern of behavior that did not go unnoticed by terrorist organizations. On June 25, 1979, Haig was the target of an assassination attempt in Mons, Belgium. A land mine blew up under the bridge on which Haig's car was traveling, narrowly missing his car and wounding three of his bodyguards in a following car.[23] Authorities later attributed responsibility for the attack to the Red Army Faction (RAF). In 1993 a German court sentenced Rolf Clemens Wagner, a former RAF member, to life imprisonment for the assassination attempt.[23] During Haig's last month as Supreme Allied Commander Europe, he oversaw the talks and negotiation between the United States and NATO member nations of a new policy following the signing of SALT II treaty on June 18, 1979, by President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev. However Haig also drew concern regarding the treaty, which he believed benefited the Soviet position by giving them a way to build up their military arsenal.[18]

Haig retired from his position as Supreme Allied Commander Europe in July 1979 and was succeeded by General Bernard W. Rogers, who previously served as Army Chief of Staff.[18] Haig's retirement ceremony took place at NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on July 1, 1979, and was attended by Secretary of Defense Harold Brown, NATO Secretary General Joseph Luns and U.S. Ambassador to NATO William Tapley Bennett Jr.[18]

Civilian positions edit

In 1979, Haig joined the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute as director of its Western Security Program, and he later served on the organization's board of trustees.[24] Later that year, he was named president and director of United Technologies Corporation under chief executive officer Harry J. Gray, where he remained until 1981.

Secretary of State (1981–1982) edit

 
Secretary of State Haig with President Reagan at the Oval Office, 1981

Haig was the second of three career military officers to become secretary of state (George C. Marshall and Colin Powell were the others). His speeches in this role in particular led to the coining of the neologism "Haigspeak," described in a dictionary of neologisms as "Language characterized by pompous obscurity resulting from redundancy, the semantically strained use of words, and verbosity,"[25] leading Ambassador Nicko Henderson to offer a prize for the best rendering of the Gettysburg Address in Haigspeak.[26]

Initial challenges edit

On December 11, 1980, president-elect Reagan was prepared to publicly announce nearly all of his candidates for the most important cabinet-level posts. Singularly absent from the list of top nominees was his choice for Secretary of State, presumed by many at the time to be Alexander Haig. Haig's prospects for Senate confirmation were clouded when Senate Democrats questioned his role in the Watergate scandal. In Haig's defense, North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms claimed to have phoned former president Nixon personally to inquire whether any material on Nixon's unreleased White House tapes could embarrass Haig. According to Helms, Nixon replied, "Not a thing."[27] Haig was eventually confirmed after hearings he described as an "ordeal," during which he received no encouragement from Reagan or his staff.[28]

Several days earlier, on December 2, 1980, as Haig faced these initial challenges to the next step in his political career, four U.S. Catholic missionary women in El Salvador, two of whom were Maryknoll sisters, were beaten, raped and murdered by five Salvadoran national guardsmen ordered to follow them. Their bodies were exhumed from a remote shallow grave two days later in the presence of then-U.S. ambassador to El Salvador Robert E. White. Despite this diplomatically awkward atrocity, the Carter administration soon approved $5.9 million in lethal military assistance to El Salvador's oppressive right-wing government.[29] The incoming Reagan administration expanded that aid to $25 million less than six weeks later.[30]

In justifying the arms shipments, the new administration claimed that the Salvadoran government of José Napoleón Duarte had taken "positive steps" to investigate the murder of four American nuns, but this was disputed by U.S. Ambassador Robert E. White, who said that he could find no evidence the junta was "conducting a serious investigation." White was dismissed from the Foreign Service by Haig because of his complaints. White later asserted that the Reagan administration was determined to ignore and even conceal the complicity of the Salvadoran government and army in the murders.[31]

 
Haig welcoming Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at Andrews Air Force Base, 1982

Throughout the 1980 U.S. presidential campaign, Reagan and his foreign policy advisers faulted the Carter administration's perceived over-emphasis on the human rights abuses committed by authoritarian governments allied to the U.S., labeling it a "double standard" when compared with Carter's treatment of communist-bloc governments. Haig, who described himself as the "vicar" of U.S. foreign policy,[32] believed the human rights violations of a U.S. ally such as El Salvador should be given less attention than the ally's successes against enemies of the U.S., and thus found himself diminishing the murders of the nuns before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March 1981:

I'd like to suggest to you that some of the investigations would lead one to believe that perhaps the vehicle the nuns were riding in may have tried to run through a roadblock, or may have accidentally been perceived to have been doing so, and there may have been an exchange of fire, and then perhaps those who inflicted the casualties sought to cover it up.

— Alexander Haig, Alexander Haig, House Foreign Affairs committee testimony, quoted by UPI, March 19, 1981[33]

The outcry that immediately followed Haig's insinuation prompted him to emphatically withdraw his speculative suggestions the very next day before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[34] Similar public relations miscalculations, by Haig and others, continued to plague the Reagan administration's attempts to build popular support at home for its Central American policies.

Reagan assassination attempt edit

 
Haig speaking to the press after the Reagan assassination attempt, 1981

In 1981, following the March 30 assassination attempt on Reagan, Haig asserted before reporters, "I am in control here"[35] as a result of Reagan's hospitalization, indicating that, while President Reagan had not "transfer[red] the helm," Haig was in fact directing White House crisis management until Vice President George Bush arrived in Washington to assume that role.

Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the president, the vice president, and the secretary of state in that order, and should the president decide he wants to transfer the helm to the vice president, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the vice president and in close touch with him. If something came up, I would check with him, of course.

— Alexander Haig, , autobiographical profile in Time magazine, April 2, 1984[36]

The U.S. Constitution, including both the presidential line of succession and the 25th Amendment, dictates what happens when a president is incapacitated. The Speaker of the House (at the time, Tip O'Neill, Democrat) and the president pro tempore of the Senate (at the time, Strom Thurmond, Republican), precede the secretary of state in the line of succession. Haig later clarified,

I wasn't talking about transition. I was talking about the executive branch, who is running the government. That was the question asked. It was not, "Who is in line should the president die?"

— Alexander Haig, "Alexander Haig" interview with 60 Minutes II April 23, 2001

Falklands War edit

 
Haig with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher at Andrews Air Force Base, 1982

In April 1982, Haig conducted shuttle diplomacy between the governments of Argentina in Buenos Aires and the United Kingdom in London after Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. Negotiations collapsed and Haig returned to Washington on April 19. The British naval fleet then entered the war zone. In December 2012 documents released under the United Kingdom's 30 Year Rule disclosed that Haig planned to reveal British classified military information to Argentina in advance of the recapture of South Georgia Island. The information, which contained the plans for Operation Paraquet, was intended to show the Argentine military junta in Buenos Aires that the United States was a neutral player and could be trusted to act impartially during negotiations to end the conflict.[37] However, in 2012 it was revealed via documents released from the Reagan Presidential Library that Haig attempted to persuade Reagan to side with Argentina in the war.[38]

1982 Lebanon War edit

Haig's report to Reagan on January 30, 1982, shows that Haig feared the Israelis might start a war against Lebanon.[39] Critics accused Haig of "greenlighting" the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. Haig denied this and said he urged restraint.[40]

Resignation edit

Haig caused some alarm with his suggestion that a "nuclear warning shot" in Europe might be effective in deterring the Soviet Union.[41] His tenure as secretary of state was often characterized by his clashes with the defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger. Haig, who repeatedly had difficulty with various members of the Reagan administration during his year-and-a-half in office, decided to resign his post on June 25, 1982.[42] President Reagan accepted his resignation on July 5.[43] Haig was succeeded by George P. Shultz, who was confirmed on July 16.[44]

1988 Republican presidential primaries edit

Haig ran unsuccessfully for the 1988 Republican Party presidential nomination. Although he enjoyed relatively high name recognition, Haig never broke out of single digits in national public opinion polls. He was a fierce critic of then–Vice President George H. W. Bush, often doubting Bush's leadership abilities, questioning his role in the Iran–Contra affair, and using the word "wimp" in relation to Bush in an October 1987 debate in Texas.[45] Despite extensive personal campaigning and paid advertising in New Hampshire, Haig remained stuck in last place in the polls. After finishing with less than 1 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses and trailing badly in the New Hampshire primary polls, Haig withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Senator Bob Dole.[46][47] Dole, steadily gaining on Bush after beating him handily a week earlier in the Iowa caucus, ended up losing to Bush in the New Hampshire primary by 10 percentage points. With his momentum regained, Bush easily won the nomination.

Later life, health, and death edit

 
Haig in 2000

In 1980 Haig had a double heart bypass operation.[48]

After leaving the Reagan White House, Haig took a seat on the MGM board of directors in an effort to cultivate a film career.[49] He supervised the development of John Milius' Red Dawn (1984) and made significant changes to it.[50] While heading a consulting firm in the 1980s and 1990s, he served as a director for various struggling businesses, including computer manufacturer Commodore International.[51] He also served as a founding corporate director of America Online.[52]

Haig was the host for several years of the television program World Business Review. At the time of his death, he was the host of 21st Century Business, with each program a weekly business education forum that included business solutions, expert interview, commentary, and field reports.[53] Haig was co-chairman of the American Committee for Peace in the Caucasus, along with Zbigniew Brzezinski and Stephen J. Solarz. He was also member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) board of advisers.[54]

On January 5, 2006, Haig participated in a meeting at the White House of former secretaries of defense and state to discuss U.S. foreign policy with Bush administration officials.[55] On May 12, 2006, Haig participated in a second White House meeting with 10 former secretaries of state and defense. The meeting included briefings by Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice and was followed by a discussion with President George W. Bush.[56] Haig's memoirs—Inner Circles: How America Changed The World—were published in 1992.

On February 19, 2010, a hospital spokesman revealed that the 85-year-old Haig had been hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore since January 28 and remained in critical condition.[57] On February 20, Haig died at the age of 85, from complications from a staphylococcal infection that he had prior to admission. According to The New York Times, his brother, Frank Haig, said the Army was coordinating a mass at Fort Myer in Washington and an interment at Arlington National Cemetery, but both had to be delayed by about two weeks owing to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.[7] A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on March 2, 2010. Eulogies were given by Henry Kissinger and Sherwood D. Goldberg.[58]

President Barack Obama said in a statement that "General Haig exemplified our finest warrior–diplomat tradition of those who dedicate their lives to public service."[7] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Haig as a man who "served his country in many capacities for many years, earning honor on the battlefield, the confidence of presidents and prime ministers, and the thanks of a grateful nation."[59]

Family edit

Alexander Haig was married to Patricia (née Fox), with whom he had three children: Alexander Patrick Haig, Barbara Haig, and Brian Haig.[7] Haig's younger brother, Frank Haig, is a Jesuit priest and professor emeritus of physics at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.[60]

Publications edit

Articles

  • "Introduction". World Affairs, Vol. 144, No. 4, Statements by Ambassador Max Kampelman before the Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Spring 1982. JSTOR 20671913 (pp. 299–301)
  • "Stalemate: The Public Reaction to Poland". World Affairs, Vol. 144, No. 4, Statements by Ambassador Max Kampelman before the Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Spring 1982. JSTOR 20671920 (pp. 467–511)
  • "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Discussion with Former Secretaries of State Dean Rusk, William P. Rogers, Cyrus R. Vance, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.". International Studies Notes, Vol. 11, No. 1, Special Edition: The Secretaries of State, Fall 1984. JSTOR 44234902 (pp. 10–20)
  • "Reply". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, Vol. 27, No. 2, Summer 1985. doi:10.2307/165716 JSTOR 165716 (pp. 23–24)
  • "The Challenges to American Leadership". Harvard International Review, Vol. 11, No. 3, Tenth Anniversary Issue – American Foreign Policy: Toward the 1990s, 1989. JSTOR 43648931 (pp. 24–29)
  • "Nation Building: A Flawed Approach". The Brown Journal of World Affairs, Vol. 2, No. 1, Winter 1994. JSTOR 24595446 (pp. 7–10)

Books

Contributed works

  • "Foreword". Soviet Leaders from Lenin to Gorbachev by Thomas Streissguth. Minneapolis, MN: Oliver Press, 1992. ISBN 978-1881508021 LCCN 92-19903 (pp. 7–8)

Awards and decorations edit

 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
            
       
     
 
 
         
     
     
     
Combat Infantryman Badge
Distinguished Service Cross Defense Distinguished Service Medal
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
w/ Valor device and 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
Purple Heart Air Medal
w/ bronze award numerals 27
Army Commendation Medal
American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
Korean Service Medal
w/ 4 bronze campaign stars
Vietnam Service Medal
w/ 2 bronze campaign stars
National Order of Vietnam
(Commander)
National Order of Vietnam
(Knight)
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
w/ Palm
Grand-Cross of the Portuguese Order of Christ[61] Order of Leopold (Officer) Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
(Grand Cross 1st Class)
United Nations Korea Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal
 
     
 
SHAPE Badge

Other honors edit

In 1976, Haig received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[62] In 2009, Haig was recognized for their generous gift in support of academic programs at West Point by being inducted into the Eisenhower Society for Lifetime Giving.[63]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Pronounced /hɡ/

References edit

  1. ^ a b . Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b . Archived from the original on January 14, 2010.
  3. ^ "World Business Review (TV Series 1996–2006)", IMDb, retrieved October 20, 2020
  4. ^ Hohmann, James (February 21, 2010). "Alexander Haig, 85; soldier-statesman managed Nixon resignation". The Washington Post. from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  5. ^ "Haig's Future Uncertain After a Shaky Start". Anchorage Daily News. April 11, 1981. Retrieved December 22, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b Bellow, Adam (July 13, 2004). In Praise of Nepotism. Knopf Doubleday Publishing. ISBN 9781400079025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Weiner, Tim (February 20, 2010). "Alexander M. Haig Jr., 85, Forceful Aide to 2 Presidents, Dies". The New York Times. from the original on February 23, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  8. ^ a b Jackson, Harold (February 20, 2010). "Alexander Haig obituary". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "Al Haig, the long goodbye". February 22, 2010.
  10. ^ a b Alexander M. Haig Jr. "Lessons of the forgotten war".
  11. ^ . Archived from the original on May 11, 2013.
  12. ^ a b . Archived from the original on May 16, 2006.[verification needed]
  13. ^ "Full Text Citations For Award of The Distinguished Service Cross, US Army Recipients – Vietnam".
  14. ^ "Personnel - White House Appointment of Military Personnel to Staff" (PDF). Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. p. 11.
  15. ^ Colodny, Len; Shachtman, Tom (2009). Forty Years War. TrineDay. ISBN 9781634240574.
  16. ^ "4-Star Diplomat in White House Alexander Meigs Haig Jr". The New York Times. May 5, 1973.
  17. ^ The Final Days, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, 1976, New York, Simon & Schuster; Shadow, by Bob Woodward, 1999, New York, Simon Schuster, pp. 4–38.
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Further reading edit

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Deputy National Security Advisor
1970–1973
Succeeded by
Preceded by White House Chief of Staff
1973–1974
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Secretary of State
1981–1982
Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
1973
Succeeded by
Preceded by Supreme Allied Commander Europe
1974–1979
Succeeded by

alexander, haig, british, peer, viscount, dawick, scottish, physician, physician, american, jazz, pianist, haig, alexander, meigs, haig, december, 1924, february, 2010, united, states, secretary, state, under, president, ronald, reagan, white, house, chief, st. For the British peer see Alexander Haig Viscount Dawick For the Scottish physician see Alexander Haig physician For the American jazz pianist see Al Haig Alexander Meigs Haig Jr a December 2 1924 February 20 2010 was United States secretary of state under president Ronald Reagan and White House chief of staff under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford 1 Prior to and in between these cabinet level positions he was a general in the U S Army serving first as the vice chief of staff of the Army and then as Supreme Allied Commander Europe In 1973 Haig became the youngest four star general in the Army s history Alexander HaigHaig c 1970s59th United States Secretary of StateIn office January 22 1981 July 5 1982PresidentRonald ReaganDeputyWilliam P Clark Jr Walter J Stoessel Jr Preceded byEdmund MuskieSucceeded byGeorge Shultz7th Supreme Allied Commander EuropeIn office December 15 1974 July 1 1979PresidentGerald FordJimmy CarterDeputyJohn MoggHarry TuzoGerd SchmucklePreceded byAndrew GoodpasterSucceeded byBernard W Rogers5th White House Chief of StaffIn office May 4 1973 September 21 1974PresidentRichard NixonGerald FordPreceded byH R HaldemanSucceeded byDonald RumsfeldVice Chief of Staff of the United States ArmyIn office January 4 1973 May 4 1973PresidentRichard NixonPreceded byBruce Palmer Jr Succeeded byFrederick C Weyand6th Deputy National Security AdvisorIn office June 1970 January 4 1973PresidentRichard NixonPreceded byRichard V AllenSucceeded byBrent ScowcroftPersonal detailsBornAlexander Meigs Haig Jr 1924 12 02 December 2 1924Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania U S DiedFebruary 20 2010 2010 02 20 aged 85 Baltimore Maryland U S Resting placeArlington National CemeteryPolitical partyRepublicanSpousePatricia Fox m 1950 wbr Children3 including BrianEducationUniversity of Notre Dame United States Military Academy BS Columbia University MBA Georgetown University MA SignatureMilitary serviceBranch serviceUnited States ArmyYears of service1947 1979RankGeneralBattles warsKorean WarVietnam WarAwardsDistinguished Service Cross Defense Distinguished Service Medal 2 Army Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star 2 Legion of Merit 3 Distinguished Flying Cross 3 Bronze Star 3 with V device Purple Heart Air Medal 27 Haig was born and raised in Pennsylvania He graduated from the U S Military Academy and served in the Korean War during which he served as an aide to general Alonzo Patrick Fox and general Edward Almond Afterward he served as an aide to defense secretary Robert McNamara During the Vietnam War Haig commanded a battalion and later a brigade of the 1st Infantry Division For his service Haig received the Distinguished Service Cross the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart 2 In 1969 Haig became an assistant to national security advisor Henry Kissinger He became vice chief of staff of the Army the Army s second highest ranking position in 1972 After the 1973 resignation of H R Haldeman Haig became President Nixon s chief of staff Serving in the wake of the Watergate scandal he became especially influential in the final months of Nixon s tenure playing a role in persuading Nixon to resign in 1974 Haig continued to serve as chief of staff for the first month of President Ford s tenure From 1974 to 1979 Haig served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe commanding all NATO forces in Europe He retired from the army in 1979 and pursued a career in business After Reagan won the 1980 U S presidential election he nominated Haig to be his secretary of state After the Reagan assassination attempt Haig said I am in control here in the White House despite not being next in the line of succession During the Falklands War Haig sought to broker peace between the United Kingdom and Argentina He resigned from Reagan s cabinet in July 1982 He unsuccessfully sought the presidential nomination in the 1988 Republican primaries He also served as the head of a consulting firm and hosted the television program World Business Review 3 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Early military career 2 1 Korean War 2 2 Pentagon assignments 2 3 Vietnam War 2 4 Return to West Point 3 Security adviser and vice chief of staff 1969 1973 4 White House Chief of Staff 1973 1974 4 1 Nixon administration 4 2 Ford administration 5 NATO Supreme Allied Commander 1974 1979 6 Civilian positions 7 Secretary of State 1981 1982 7 1 Initial challenges 7 2 Reagan assassination attempt 7 3 Falklands War 7 4 1982 Lebanon War 7 5 Resignation 8 1988 Republican presidential primaries 9 Later life health and death 10 Family 11 Publications 12 Awards and decorations 12 1 Other honors 13 Notes 14 References 15 Further reading 16 External linksEarly life and education editHaig was born in Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania the middle of three children of Alexander Meigs Haig a Republican lawyer of Scottish descent and his wife Regina Anne nee Murphy 4 When Haig was 9 his father aged 41 died of cancer His Irish American mother raised her children in the Catholic faith 5 Haig initially attended Saint Joseph s Preparatory School in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on scholarship when he was withdrawn due to poor academic performance he transferred to Lower Merion High School in Ardmore Pennsylvania from which he graduated in 1942 Initially unable to secure his desired appointment to the United States Military Academy with one teacher opining that Al is definitely not West Point material Haig studied at the University of Notre Dame where he reportedly earned a string of A s in an intellectual awakening 6 for two years before securing a congressional appointment to the academy in 1944 at the behest of his uncle who served as the Philadelphia municipal government s director of public works 6 Enrolled in an accelerated wartime curriculum that deemphasized the humanities and social sciences Haig graduated in the bottom third of his class 7 ranked 214 of 310 in 1947 8 Although a West Point superintendent characterized Haig as the last man in his class anyone expected to become the first general 9 other classmates acknowledged his strong convictions and even stronger ambitions 8 Haig later earned an M B A from the Columbia Business School in 1955 and an M A in international relations from Georgetown University in 1961 His thesis for the latter degree examined the role of military officers in making national policy Early military career editKorean War edit As a young officer Haig served as an aide to Lieutenant General Alonzo Patrick Fox a deputy chief of staff to General Douglas MacArthur In 1950 Haig married Fox s daughter Patricia 7 In the early days of the Korean War Haig was responsible for maintaining General MacArthur s situation map and briefing MacArthur each evening on the day s battlefield events 10 Haig later served 1950 51 with the X Corps as aide to MacArthur s chief of staff General Edward Almond 2 who awarded Haig two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star with Valor device 11 Haig participated in four Korean War campaigns including the Battle of Inchon the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and the evacuation of Hŭngnam 10 as Almond s aide Pentagon assignments edit Haig served as a staff officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the Pentagon 1962 64 and then was appointed military assistant to Secretary of the Army Stephen Ailes in 1964 He then was appointed military assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara continuing in that service until the end of 1965 7 In 1966 Haig graduated from the United States Army War College Vietnam War edit nbsp Major General Haig being presented with the Distinguished Service Medal by President Nixon in the Oval Office 1973In 1966 Haig took command of a battalion of the 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War On May 22 1967 Lieutenant Colonel Haig was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the U S Army s second highest medal for valor by General William Westmoreland as a result of his actions during the Battle of Ap Gu in March 1967 12 During the battle Haig s troops of the 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment became pinned down by a Viet Cong force that outnumbered U S forces by three to one In an attempt to survey the battlefield Haig boarded a helicopter and flew to the point of contact His helicopter was subsequently shot down Two days of bloody hand to hand combat ensued An excerpt from Haig s official Army citation follows When two of his companies were engaged by a large hostile force Colonel Haig landed amid a hail of fire personally took charge of the units called for artillery and air fire support and succeeded in soundly defeating the insurgent force the next day a barrage of 400 rounds was fired by the Viet Cong but it was ineffective because of the warning and preparations by Colonel Haig As the barrage subsided a force three times larger than his began a series of human wave assaults on the camp Heedless of the danger himself Colonel Haig repeatedly braved intense hostile fire to survey the battlefield His personal courage and determination and his skillful employment of every defense and support tactic possible inspired his men to fight with previously unimagined power Although his force was outnumbered three to one Colonel Haig succeeded in inflicting 592 casualties on the Viet Cong HQ US Army Vietnam General Orders No 2318 May 22 1967 13 Haig was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart during his tour in Vietnam 12 and was eventually promoted to colonel as commander of 2nd Brigade 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam Return to West Point edit Following his one year Vietnam tour Haig returned to the United States to become regimental commander of the Third Regiment of the Corps of Cadets at West Point under the newly appointed commandant Brigadier General Bernard W Rogers Both had previously served together in the 1st Infantry Division Rogers as assistant division commander and Haig as brigade commander Security adviser and vice chief of staff 1969 1973 editIn 1969 he was appointed military assistant to the assistant to the president for national security affairs Henry Kissinger A year later he replaced Richard V Allen as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs During this period he was promoted to brigadier general September 1969 and major general March 1972 In this position Haig helped South Vietnamese president Nguyen Van Thieu negotiate the final cease fire talks in 1972 Haig continued in the role until January 4 1973 14 when he became vice chief of staff of the Army Nixon planned to appoint Haig as chief of staff over Creighton Abrams who he personally disliked but secretary of defense Melvin Laird resisted as Haig lacked the relevant upper level command experience 15 He was confirmed by the U S Senate in October 1972 thus skipping the rank of lieutenant general By appointing him to this billet Nixon passed over 240 generals who were senior to Haig 16 White House Chief of Staff 1973 1974 editNixon administration edit nbsp Kissinger Nixon Ford and Haig in a meeting regarding Ford s upcoming appointment as vice president 1973After only four months as VCSA Haig returned to the Nixon administration at the height of the Watergate affair as White House chief of staff in May 1973 Retaining his Army commission he remained in the position until September 21 1974 ultimately overseeing the transition to the presidency of Gerald Ford following Nixon s resignation on August 9 1974 Haig has been largely credited with keeping the government running while President Nixon was preoccupied with Watergate 1 and was essentially seen as the acting president during Nixon s last few months in office 7 During July and early August 1974 Haig played an instrumental role in persuading Nixon to resign Haig presented several pardon options to Ford a few days before Nixon resigned In this regard in his 1999 book Shadow author Bob Woodward describes Haig s role as the point man between Nixon and Ford during the final days of Nixon s presidency According to Woodward Haig played a major behind the scenes role in the delicate negotiations of the transfer of power from Nixon to Ford 17 Indeed about one month after taking office Ford did pardon Nixon resulting in much controversy However Haig denied the allegation that he played a key role in arbitrating Nixon s resignation by offering Ford s pardon to Nixon One of the most crucial moments occurred a day before Haig s departure to Europe to begin his tenure as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Haig was telephoned by J Fred Buzhardt who once served as special White House counsel for Watergate matters 18 19 In the call Buzhardt discussed with Haig President Ford s upcoming speech to the nation about pardoning Nixon informing Haig that the speech contained something indicating Haig s role in Nixon s resignation and Ford s pardon of Nixon According to Haig s autobiography Inner Circles How America Changed the World Haig was furious and immediately drove straight to the White House to determine the veracity of Buzhardt s claims This was due to his concern that Ford s speech would expose Haig s role in negotiating Nixon s resignation supposedly in exchange for a pardon issued by the new president 18 19 On August 7 1974 two days before Nixon s resignation Haig met with Nixon in the Oval Office to discuss the transition Following their conversation Nixon told Haig You fellows in your business have a way of handling problems like this Give them a pistol and leave the room I don t have a pistol Al 20 Ford administration edit nbsp Haig s official chief of staff portraitFollowing Nixon s resignation Haig remained briefly as White House Chief of Staff under Ford Haig aided in the transition by advising the new president mostly on policy matters on which he had been working under the Nixon presidency and introducing Ford to the White House staff and their daily activities Haig recommended that Ford retain several of Nixon s White House staff for 30 days to provide an orderly transition Haig and Kissinger also advised Ford on Nixon s detente policy with the Soviet Union following the SALT I treaty in 1972 Haig found it difficult to get along with the new administration and wanted to return to the Army for his last command It had also been rumored that Ford wanted to be his own chief of staff At first Ford decided to replace Haig with Robert T Hartmann Ford s chief of staff during his tenure as vice president 19 18 21 Ford soon replaced Hartmann with United States Permanent Ambassador to NATO Donald Rumsfeld Author and Haig biographer Roger Morris a former colleague of Haig s on the National Security Council early in Nixon s first term wrote that when Ford pardoned Nixon he in effect pardoned Haig as well 22 Haig resigned from his position as White House Chief of Staff and returned to active duty in the United States Army in September 1974 18 NATO Supreme Allied Commander 1974 1979 edit nbsp General Haig during his tenure as Supreme Allied Commander EuropeIn December 1974 Haig was appointed as the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe by President Ford replacing General Andrew Goodpaster and returning to active duty in the United States Army Haig also became the front runner to be the 27th U S Army Chief of Staff following the death of General Creighton Abrams from complications of surgery to remove lung cancer on September 4 1974 However it was General Frederick C Weyand who ultimately filled Abrams s position as Chief of Staff 18 From 1974 to 1979 Haig served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe the commander of NATO forces in Europe as well as commander in chief of United States European Command During his tenure as SACEUR Haig focused on transforming SACEUR in order to face the future global challenge following the end of the Vietnam War and the rise of Soviet influence within Eastern Europe Haig focused on strengthening the relationship between the United States and NATO member nations and their allies As a result several fleets of United States Air Force aircraft such as the F 111 Aardvark from the Strategic Air Command were relocated to US Air Force bases located in Europe 18 Haig also stressed the importance of increasing the training of US troops deployed in Europe following his tour of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea on which Haig saw poorly disciplined and ill trained troops As a result Haig conducted routine inspections during NATO troops training and often went to the training site and participated in the training itself Haig also recommended the revitalization of equipment in the US installations in Europe and US troops deployed in Europe in order to strengthen deterrence from possible attack 18 Haig took the same route to SHAPE every day a pattern of behavior that did not go unnoticed by terrorist organizations On June 25 1979 Haig was the target of an assassination attempt in Mons Belgium A land mine blew up under the bridge on which Haig s car was traveling narrowly missing his car and wounding three of his bodyguards in a following car 23 Authorities later attributed responsibility for the attack to the Red Army Faction RAF In 1993 a German court sentenced Rolf Clemens Wagner a former RAF member to life imprisonment for the assassination attempt 23 During Haig s last month as Supreme Allied Commander Europe he oversaw the talks and negotiation between the United States and NATO member nations of a new policy following the signing of SALT II treaty on June 18 1979 by President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev However Haig also drew concern regarding the treaty which he believed benefited the Soviet position by giving them a way to build up their military arsenal 18 Haig retired from his position as Supreme Allied Commander Europe in July 1979 and was succeeded by General Bernard W Rogers who previously served as Army Chief of Staff 18 Haig s retirement ceremony took place at NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on July 1 1979 and was attended by Secretary of Defense Harold Brown NATO Secretary General Joseph Luns and U S Ambassador to NATO William Tapley Bennett Jr 18 Civilian positions editIn 1979 Haig joined the Philadelphia based Foreign Policy Research Institute as director of its Western Security Program and he later served on the organization s board of trustees 24 Later that year he was named president and director of United Technologies Corporation under chief executive officer Harry J Gray where he remained until 1981 Secretary of State 1981 1982 editMain article Foreign policy of the Ronald Reagan administration nbsp Secretary of State Haig with President Reagan at the Oval Office 1981Haig was the second of three career military officers to become secretary of state George C Marshall and Colin Powell were the others His speeches in this role in particular led to the coining of the neologism Haigspeak described in a dictionary of neologisms as Language characterized by pompous obscurity resulting from redundancy the semantically strained use of words and verbosity 25 leading Ambassador Nicko Henderson to offer a prize for the best rendering of the Gettysburg Address in Haigspeak 26 Initial challenges edit On December 11 1980 president elect Reagan was prepared to publicly announce nearly all of his candidates for the most important cabinet level posts Singularly absent from the list of top nominees was his choice for Secretary of State presumed by many at the time to be Alexander Haig Haig s prospects for Senate confirmation were clouded when Senate Democrats questioned his role in the Watergate scandal In Haig s defense North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms claimed to have phoned former president Nixon personally to inquire whether any material on Nixon s unreleased White House tapes could embarrass Haig According to Helms Nixon replied Not a thing 27 Haig was eventually confirmed after hearings he described as an ordeal during which he received no encouragement from Reagan or his staff 28 Several days earlier on December 2 1980 as Haig faced these initial challenges to the next step in his political career four U S Catholic missionary women in El Salvador two of whom were Maryknoll sisters were beaten raped and murdered by five Salvadoran national guardsmen ordered to follow them Their bodies were exhumed from a remote shallow grave two days later in the presence of then U S ambassador to El Salvador Robert E White Despite this diplomatically awkward atrocity the Carter administration soon approved 5 9 million in lethal military assistance to El Salvador s oppressive right wing government 29 The incoming Reagan administration expanded that aid to 25 million less than six weeks later 30 In justifying the arms shipments the new administration claimed that the Salvadoran government of Jose Napoleon Duarte had taken positive steps to investigate the murder of four American nuns but this was disputed by U S Ambassador Robert E White who said that he could find no evidence the junta was conducting a serious investigation White was dismissed from the Foreign Service by Haig because of his complaints White later asserted that the Reagan administration was determined to ignore and even conceal the complicity of the Salvadoran government and army in the murders 31 nbsp Haig welcoming Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at Andrews Air Force Base 1982Throughout the 1980 U S presidential campaign Reagan and his foreign policy advisers faulted the Carter administration s perceived over emphasis on the human rights abuses committed by authoritarian governments allied to the U S labeling it a double standard when compared with Carter s treatment of communist bloc governments Haig who described himself as the vicar of U S foreign policy 32 believed the human rights violations of a U S ally such as El Salvador should be given less attention than the ally s successes against enemies of the U S and thus found himself diminishing the murders of the nuns before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March 1981 I d like to suggest to you that some of the investigations would lead one to believe that perhaps the vehicle the nuns were riding in may have tried to run through a roadblock or may have accidentally been perceived to have been doing so and there may have been an exchange of fire and then perhaps those who inflicted the casualties sought to cover it up Alexander Haig Alexander Haig House Foreign Affairs committee testimony quoted by UPI March 19 1981 33 The outcry that immediately followed Haig s insinuation prompted him to emphatically withdraw his speculative suggestions the very next day before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 34 Similar public relations miscalculations by Haig and others continued to plague the Reagan administration s attempts to build popular support at home for its Central American policies Reagan assassination attempt edit See also Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan and United States presidential line of succession nbsp Haig speaking to the press after the Reagan assassination attempt 1981In 1981 following the March 30 assassination attempt on Reagan Haig asserted before reporters I am in control here 35 as a result of Reagan s hospitalization indicating that while President Reagan had not transfer red the helm Haig was in fact directing White House crisis management until Vice President George Bush arrived in Washington to assume that role Constitutionally gentlemen you have the president the vice president and the secretary of state in that order and should the president decide he wants to transfer the helm to the vice president he will do so He has not done that As of now I am in control here in the White House pending return of the vice president and in close touch with him If something came up I would check with him of course Alexander Haig Alexander Haig autobiographical profile in Time magazine April 2 1984 36 The U S Constitution including both the presidential line of succession and the 25th Amendment dictates what happens when a president is incapacitated The Speaker of the House at the time Tip O Neill Democrat and the president pro tempore of the Senate at the time Strom Thurmond Republican precede the secretary of state in the line of succession Haig later clarified I wasn t talking about transition I was talking about the executive branch who is running the government That was the question asked It was not Who is in line should the president die Alexander Haig Alexander Haig interview with 60 Minutes II April 23 2001 Falklands War edit nbsp Haig with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher at Andrews Air Force Base 1982Main articles Falklands War and U S diplomacy and involvement in the Falklands War In April 1982 Haig conducted shuttle diplomacy between the governments of Argentina in Buenos Aires and the United Kingdom in London after Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands Negotiations collapsed and Haig returned to Washington on April 19 The British naval fleet then entered the war zone In December 2012 documents released under the United Kingdom s 30 Year Rule disclosed that Haig planned to reveal British classified military information to Argentina in advance of the recapture of South Georgia Island The information which contained the plans for Operation Paraquet was intended to show the Argentine military junta in Buenos Aires that the United States was a neutral player and could be trusted to act impartially during negotiations to end the conflict 37 However in 2012 it was revealed via documents released from the Reagan Presidential Library that Haig attempted to persuade Reagan to side with Argentina in the war 38 1982 Lebanon War edit Main article 1982 Lebanon War Haig s report to Reagan on January 30 1982 shows that Haig feared the Israelis might start a war against Lebanon 39 Critics accused Haig of greenlighting the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982 Haig denied this and said he urged restraint 40 Resignation edit Haig caused some alarm with his suggestion that a nuclear warning shot in Europe might be effective in deterring the Soviet Union 41 His tenure as secretary of state was often characterized by his clashes with the defense secretary Caspar Weinberger Haig who repeatedly had difficulty with various members of the Reagan administration during his year and a half in office decided to resign his post on June 25 1982 42 President Reagan accepted his resignation on July 5 43 Haig was succeeded by George P Shultz who was confirmed on July 16 44 1988 Republican presidential primaries editMain article 1988 Republican Party presidential primaries Haig ran unsuccessfully for the 1988 Republican Party presidential nomination Although he enjoyed relatively high name recognition Haig never broke out of single digits in national public opinion polls He was a fierce critic of then Vice President George H W Bush often doubting Bush s leadership abilities questioning his role in the Iran Contra affair and using the word wimp in relation to Bush in an October 1987 debate in Texas 45 Despite extensive personal campaigning and paid advertising in New Hampshire Haig remained stuck in last place in the polls After finishing with less than 1 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses and trailing badly in the New Hampshire primary polls Haig withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Senator Bob Dole 46 47 Dole steadily gaining on Bush after beating him handily a week earlier in the Iowa caucus ended up losing to Bush in the New Hampshire primary by 10 percentage points With his momentum regained Bush easily won the nomination Later life health and death edit nbsp Haig in 2000In 1980 Haig had a double heart bypass operation 48 After leaving the Reagan White House Haig took a seat on the MGM board of directors in an effort to cultivate a film career 49 He supervised the development of John Milius Red Dawn 1984 and made significant changes to it 50 While heading a consulting firm in the 1980s and 1990s he served as a director for various struggling businesses including computer manufacturer Commodore International 51 He also served as a founding corporate director of America Online 52 Haig was the host for several years of the television program World Business Review At the time of his death he was the host of 21st Century Business with each program a weekly business education forum that included business solutions expert interview commentary and field reports 53 Haig was co chairman of the American Committee for Peace in the Caucasus along with Zbigniew Brzezinski and Stephen J Solarz He was also member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy WINEP board of advisers 54 On January 5 2006 Haig participated in a meeting at the White House of former secretaries of defense and state to discuss U S foreign policy with Bush administration officials 55 On May 12 2006 Haig participated in a second White House meeting with 10 former secretaries of state and defense The meeting included briefings by Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice and was followed by a discussion with President George W Bush 56 Haig s memoirs Inner Circles How America Changed The World were published in 1992 On February 19 2010 a hospital spokesman revealed that the 85 year old Haig had been hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore since January 28 and remained in critical condition 57 On February 20 Haig died at the age of 85 from complications from a staphylococcal infection that he had prior to admission According to The New York Times his brother Frank Haig said the Army was coordinating a mass at Fort Myer in Washington and an interment at Arlington National Cemetery but both had to be delayed by about two weeks owing to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq 7 A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D C on March 2 2010 Eulogies were given by Henry Kissinger and Sherwood D Goldberg 58 President Barack Obama said in a statement that General Haig exemplified our finest warrior diplomat tradition of those who dedicate their lives to public service 7 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Haig as a man who served his country in many capacities for many years earning honor on the battlefield the confidence of presidents and prime ministers and the thanks of a grateful nation 59 Family editAlexander Haig was married to Patricia nee Fox with whom he had three children Alexander Patrick Haig Barbara Haig and Brian Haig 7 Haig s younger brother Frank Haig is a Jesuit priest and professor emeritus of physics at Loyola University in Baltimore Maryland 60 Publications editArticles Introduction World Affairs Vol 144 No 4 Statements by Ambassador Max Kampelman before the Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe Spring 1982 JSTOR 20671913 pp 299 301 Stalemate The Public Reaction to Poland World Affairs Vol 144 No 4 Statements by Ambassador Max Kampelman before the Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe Spring 1982 JSTOR 20671920 pp 467 511 U S Foreign Policy A Discussion with Former Secretaries of State Dean Rusk William P Rogers Cyrus R Vance and Alexander M Haig Jr International Studies Notes Vol 11 No 1 Special Edition The Secretaries of State Fall 1984 JSTOR 44234902 pp 10 20 Reply Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs Vol 27 No 2 Summer 1985 doi 10 2307 165716 JSTOR 165716 pp 23 24 The Challenges to American Leadership Harvard International Review Vol 11 No 3 Tenth Anniversary Issue American Foreign Policy Toward the 1990s 1989 JSTOR 43648931 pp 24 29 Nation Building A Flawed Approach The Brown Journal of World Affairs Vol 2 No 1 Winter 1994 JSTOR 24595446 pp 7 10 Books Caveat Realism Reagan and Foreign Affairs New York NY Macmillan Publishing Company 1984 ISBN 978 0025473706 367 pages Inner Circles How America Changed the World A Memoir New York NY Warner Books 1992 ISBN 978 0446515719 LCCN 91 50409 650 pages Contributed works Foreword Soviet Leaders from Lenin to Gorbachev by Thomas Streissguth Minneapolis MN Oliver Press 1992 ISBN 978 1881508021 LCCN 92 19903 pp 7 8 Awards and decorations edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Combat Infantryman BadgeDistinguished Service Cross Defense Distinguished Service Medalw 1 bronze oak leaf cluster Army Distinguished Service MedalNavy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Starw 1 bronze oak leaf clusterLegion of Meritw 2 bronze oak leaf clusters Distinguished Flying Crossw 2 bronze oak leaf clusters Bronze Starw Valor device and 2 bronze oak leaf clustersPurple Heart Air Medalw bronze award numerals 27 Army Commendation MedalAmerican Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation MedalNational Defense Service Medalw 1 bronze oak leaf cluster Korean Service Medalw 4 bronze campaign stars Vietnam Service Medalw 2 bronze campaign starsNational Order of Vietnam Commander National Order of Vietnam Knight Vietnam Cross of Gallantryw PalmGrand Cross of the Portuguese Order of Christ 61 Order of Leopold Officer Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Cross 1st Class United Nations Korea Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Valorous Unit AwardRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation nbsp SHAPE BadgeOther honors edit In 1976 Haig received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement 62 In 2009 Haig was recognized for their generous gift in support of academic programs at West Point by being inducted into the Eisenhower Society for Lifetime Giving 63 Notes edit Pronounced h eɪ ɡ References edit a b Alexander Haig Archived from the original on March 10 2008 a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a work ignored help a b Premier Speakers Bureau Archived from the original on January 14 2010 World Business Review TV Series 1996 2006 IMDb retrieved October 20 2020 Hohmann James February 21 2010 Alexander Haig 85 soldier statesman managed Nixon resignation The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 4 2011 Retrieved February 21 2010 Haig s Future Uncertain After a Shaky Start Anchorage Daily News April 11 1981 Retrieved December 22 2009 permanent dead link a b Bellow Adam July 13 2004 In Praise of Nepotism Knopf Doubleday Publishing ISBN 9781400079025 a b c d e f g Weiner Tim February 20 2010 Alexander M Haig Jr 85 Forceful Aide to 2 Presidents Dies The New York Times Archived from the original on February 23 2010 Retrieved February 20 2010 a b Jackson Harold February 20 2010 Alexander Haig obituary The Guardian Al Haig the long goodbye February 22 2010 a b Alexander M Haig Jr Lessons of the forgotten war UT Biography Archived from the original on May 11 2013 a b West Point Citation Archived from the original on May 16 2006 verification needed Full Text Citations For Award of The Distinguished Service Cross US Army Recipients Vietnam Personnel White House Appointment of Military Personnel to Staff PDF Gerald R Ford Presidential Library amp Museum p 11 Colodny Len Shachtman Tom 2009 Forty Years War TrineDay ISBN 9781634240574 4 Star Diplomat in White House Alexander Meigs Haig Jr The New York Times May 5 1973 The Final Days by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein 1976 New York Simon amp Schuster Shadow by Bob Woodward 1999 New York Simon Schuster pp 4 38 a b c d e f g h i j Haig Alexander M September 1 1992 Inner Circles How America Changed the World A Memoir Grand Central Publisher ISBN 978 0446515719 a b c Woodward Robert Upshur June 16 1999 Shadow Five Presidents And The Legacy Of Watergate Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 0684852638 Woodward Bob 1976 The final days Carl Bernstein New York ISBN 0 671 22298 8 OCLC 1975233 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Rumsfeld Donald 2011 Known and unknown a memoir New York Sentinel ISBN 978 1 59523 067 6 OCLC 650210649 Haig The General s Progress by Roger Morris American writer Playboy Press 1982 pp 320 25 a b German Guilty in 79 Attack At NATO on Alexander Haig The New York Times November 25 1993 Maykuth Andrew February 21 2010 Philadelphia dominated Haig s formative years Philadelphia Inquirer Fifty years among the new words a dictionary of neologisms 1941 1991 John Algeo p 231 Financial Times London March 21 2009 Reagan selects half of Cabinet level staff Gadsden Times Associated Press December 11 1980 Chace James April 22 1984 The Turbulent Tenure of Alexander Haig The New York Times LeoGrande William 1998 Our Own Backyard The United States in Central America 1977 1992 Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press p 70 ISBN 0807898805 LeoGrande 1998 p 89 Bonner Raymond November 9 2014 Bringing El Salvador Nun Killers to Justice The Daily Beast Retrieved January 16 2018 Alexander Haig The Economist February 25 2010 Church Women Ran Roadblock Haig Theorizes Pittsburgh Press UPI March 19 1981 Retrieved December 8 2013 Michaels Leonard Ricks Christopher 1990 The State of the Language 2nd ed Berkeley University of California Press p 261 ISBN 0520059069 The anonymous official op ed is less than it seems September 6 2018 Retrieved June 13 2023 Alexander Haig Time April 2 1984 p 22 of 24 page article Archived from the original on April 6 2008 Retrieved May 21 2008 Tweedie Neil December 28 2012 US wanted to warn Argentina about South Georgia Telegraph Archived from the original on January 12 2022 Retrieved June 4 2014 O Sullivan John April 2 2012 How the U S Almost Betrayed Britain The Wall Street Journal Retrieved December 6 2019 Ronald Reagan edited by Douglas Brinkley 2007 The Reagan Diaries Harper Collins ISBN 978 0 06 087600 5 p 66 Saturday January 30 Alexander Haig Time April 9 1984 Archived from the original on March 11 2009 Waller Douglas C Congress and the Nuclear Freeze An Inside Look at the Politics of a Mass Movement 1987 Page 19 1982 Year in Review Alexander Haig Resigns Ajemian Robert George J Church Douglas Brew July 5 1982 The Shakeup at State Time Archived from the original on March 27 2010 Retrieved February 21 2010 Short History of the Department of State United States Department of State Office of the Historian Retrieved February 20 2010 Dowd Maureen November 21 1987 Haig the Old Warrior in New Battles The New York Times Retrieved May 26 2015 Haig Calls Meeting to Discuss Campaign Los Angeles Times Associated Press February 12 1988 Retrieved May 26 2015 Clifford Frank February 13 1988 Haig Drops Out of GOP Race Endorses Dole Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 26 2015 Harold Jackson February 20 2010 obituary The Guardian Retrieved June 4 2014 Bart Peter September 28 2009 First Look Famous Firings a Tough Ax to Follow Variety Bart Peter June 16 1997 Red Dawn Shooting it the McVeigh way Variety Businessweek June 16 1991 Businessweek com June 16 1991 Archived from the original on October 31 2013 Retrieved June 4 2014 New Atlanticist Acus org Archived from the original on April 30 2013 Retrieved June 4 2014 World Business Review with Alexander Haig Archived from the original on October 25 2006 Retrieved December 17 2008 Business Wire AOL Time Warner announces its board of directors Business Wire January 12 2001 Archived from the original on July 8 2012 Retrieved December 17 2008 President George W Bush poses for a photo Thursday January 5 2006 in the Oval Office with former secretaries of state and secretaries of defense from both Republican and Democratic administrations following a meeting on the strategy for victory in Iraq The White House January 5 2006 Retrieved December 17 2008 Bush discusses Iraq with former officials Haig top adviser to 3 presidents hospitalized Associated Press February 19 2010 Archived from the original on March 27 2019 Retrieved February 20 2010 Alexander M Haig Jr West Point Association of Graduates Archived from the original on March 20 2012 Retrieved August 9 2011 Alexander Haig former secretary of state dies at 85 Washington Times February 20 2010 Retrieved June 4 2014 Krebs Albin January 25 1982 NOTES ON PEOPLE A Haig Inaugurated The New York Times Retrieved February 25 2010 Cidadaos Estrangeiros Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas Pagina Oficial das Ordens Honorificas Portuguesas Retrieved August 1 2017 Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement www achievement org American Academy of Achievement The Dedication of the Alexander M Haig Jr Room West Point Further reading editColodny Len and Robert Gettlin Silent Coup The Removal of a President New York City St Martin s Press 1991 Haig Alexander Caveat Realism Reagan and Foreign Affairs New York City Macmillan Publishing Company 1984 Haig Alexander and Charles McCarry Inner Circles How America Changed the World Grand Central Publishing 2 January 1994 Hersh Seymour The Price of Power Kissinger in the Nixon White House New York City Summit Books 1983 ISBN 0 671 50688 9 Morris Robert Haig The General s Progress ISBN 0872237532 LCCN 81 82835 490 pages External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexander Haig nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Alexander Haig The Day Reagan was Shot Archived October 17 2013 at the Wayback Machine article on Haig The Falklands Failure of a Mission critique of Haig s mediation efforts Portrait of Alexander Haig by Margaret Holland Sargent Appearances on C SPAN Alexander Haig at IMDb ANC ExplorerPolitical officesPreceded byRichard V Allen Deputy National Security Advisor1970 1973 Succeeded byBrent ScowcroftPreceded byH R Haldeman White House Chief of Staff1973 1974 Succeeded byDonald RumsfeldPreceded byEdmund Muskie United States Secretary of State1981 1982 Succeeded byGeorge P ShultzMilitary officesPreceded byBruce Palmer Jr Vice Chief of Staff of the Army1973 Succeeded byFrederick C WeyandPreceded byAndrew Goodpaster Supreme Allied Commander Europe1974 1979 Succeeded byBernard W Rogers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander Haig amp oldid 1199974515, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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