W. Averell Harriman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids W. Averell Harriman
Harriman in 1965
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
In office April 4, 1963 – March 17, 1965
President	John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	George C. McGhee
Succeeded by	Eugene V. Rostow
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
In office December 4, 1961 – April 4, 1963
President	John F. Kennedy
Preceded by	Walter P. McConaughy
Succeeded by	Roger Hilsman
48th Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1958
Lieutenant	George DeLuca
Preceded by	Thomas E. Dewey
Succeeded by	Nelson Rockefeller
Director of the Mutual Security Agency
In office October 31, 1951 – January 20, 1953
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Harold Stassen
11th United States Secretary of Commerce
In office October 7, 1946 – April 22, 1948
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Henry A. Wallace
Succeeded by	Charles Sawyer
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
In office April 30, 1946 – October 1, 1946
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	John Winant
Succeeded by	Lewis Douglas
United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union
In office October 23, 1943 – January 24, 1946
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	William Standley
Succeeded by	Walter Bedell Smith
Personal details
Born	William Averell Harriman (1891-11-15)November 15, 1891 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 26, 1986(1986-07-26) (aged 94) Yorktown Heights, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Kitty Lanier Lawrance ​ ​ (m. 1915; div. 1929)​ Marie Norton Whitney ​ ​ (m. 1930; died 1970)​ Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	Mary Kathleen
Parents	E. H. Harriman Mary Williamson
Relatives	Mary Harriman Rumsey (sister) E. Roland Harriman (brother)
Education	Yale University (BA)
Signature

William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891 – July 26, 1986), known as Averell Harriman, was an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Harriman was the son of a famous railroad owner, E. H. Harriman. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman. Later, he became the 48th governor of New York. He also tried to become the Democratic candidate for president in 1952 and 1956. He was part of a group of experienced foreign policy advisors called "The Wise Men".

Harriman attended Groton School and Yale University. There, he made connections that helped him start a banking firm. This firm later joined with others to become Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.. He also owned parts of other companies, like Union Pacific Railroad and Polaroid Corporation. During Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, Harriman worked in government roles. He helped with the Lend-Lease program, which sent aid to countries fighting in World War II. He then served as the ambassador to the Soviet Union. After the war, he supported the policy of containment, which aimed to stop the spread of communism. He also helped manage the Marshall Plan, a program to rebuild Europe after the war.

In 1954, Harriman was elected Governor of New York. He served one term before losing to Nelson Rockefeller in 1958. After this, he became a respected foreign policy expert in the Democratic Party. He helped negotiate the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. He was also involved in discussions about the Vietnam War during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.

Early Life and Education

Averell Harriman was born in New York City. His parents were Edward Henry Harriman, a railroad owner, and Mary Williamson Averell. He had a brother, E. Roland Harriman, and a sister, Mary Harriman Rumsey. He was also a close friend of Hall Roosevelt, who was Eleanor Roosevelt's brother.

In 1899, his father organized a trip to Alaska and Russia. This trip included many scientists and artists. Young Harriman got his first look at Russia, a country he would focus on later in his life.

He went to Groton School in Massachusetts. Then he attended Yale University, graduating in 1913. At Yale, he joined the Skull and Bones society. After college, he inherited a large fortune. He also became Yale's youngest Crew coach.

Business Career

Starting a Banking Business

In 1922, Harriman used money from his father to start a banking business called W.A. Harriman & Co. His brother Roland joined in 1927, and the company's name changed to Harriman Brothers & Company. In 1931, it merged with Brown Bros. & Co. This created the successful Wall Street firm Brown Brothers Harriman & Co..

Harriman owned parts of many companies. These included Brown Brothers & Harriman & Co., the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Polaroid Corporation. He also had interests in other railroads and shipping companies.

He led the Business Advisory Council for the United States Department of Commerce in 1937 and 1939.

Entering Politics

Harriman's sister, Mary Harriman Rumsey, encouraged him to join politics. She wanted him to work with the Roosevelts on the New Deal. Averell joined the National Recovery Administration (NRA). This was a government effort to help the American economy during the Great Depression. This marked the start of his political career.

Horse Racing Interests

Harriman also had a passion for horse racing. He bought many thoroughbred horses in 1924. He raced horses under the name Arden Farm. One of his horses, Chance Play, won a major race in 1927.

World War II Diplomacy

W. Averell Harriman (center) with Winston Churchill (right) and Vyacheslav Molotov (left)

Helping Allies with Lend-Lease

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent Harriman to Europe. His job was to help manage the Lend-Lease program. This program provided military aid to the Allied nations during World War II. In August 1941, Harriman was present when Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met. They created the Atlantic Charter, which outlined their goals for after the war.

Harriman then went to Moscow in September 1941. He negotiated the Lend-Lease agreement with the Soviet Union. He worked with Lord Beaverbrook from the United Kingdom. They believed that helping the Soviet Union was important. This was because the Soviets were fighting a large part of the German army.

Some people thought the Soviet Union would be defeated quickly. But Harriman argued that helping them would weaken Germany. He believed that if Germany defeated the Soviets, it would become too powerful. He promised $1 billion in aid, which was a lot of money at the time.

Moscow Conference and Four Power Declaration

In August 1942, Harriman went with Churchill to the Moscow Conference. They explained to Joseph Stalin why the Western Allies were fighting in North Africa instead of opening a second front in France. Harriman tried to keep the Allies united during difficult discussions.

In October 1943, Harriman became the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union. He described Stalin as a very smart but also very cruel leader. Harriman played a key role in a three-power conference in Moscow. The U.S. wanted a new international organization, which became the United Nations. They also wanted China to be one of the "Big Four" powers after the war. After much effort, Harriman succeeded, and the Four Power Declaration was signed.

Planning for the War's End

The Moscow conference also discussed the future of Germany. Everyone agreed Germany should be disarmed and made less powerful. They also agreed that Austria would become independent again. War crimes trials would be held for German officials after the war.

At the Tehran Conference in late 1943, Harriman worked to ease tensions between Churchill and Roosevelt. He also mistrusted Stalin's goals for Eastern Europe. At this conference, the Soviet Union promised to declare war on Japan after Germany was defeated.

Harriman's daughter, Kathleen, visited the Katyn Forest in 1944. The Soviets claimed the Germans committed the Katyn Forest massacre. Harriman later avoided discussing this, as evidence suggested the Soviets were responsible.

Negotiations Before Japan's Bombing

In 1944, Harriman pressed Stalin to discuss the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan. Stalin eventually agreed, but he wanted certain political conditions met. These included leasing Chinese railroads and ports in Manchuria. Stalin hinted that the Soviet army could take what it wanted in China.

Yalta Conference and Post-War Relations

Harriman also attended the Yalta Conference in 1945. He pushed for a stronger stance against the Soviet Union, especially regarding Poland. At Yalta, it was agreed that the Soviet Union would get the Kuriles islands and southern Sakhalin island. Roosevelt also agreed to Soviet demands for a role in managing the port of Dairen and owning Chinese railroads.

The conference also decided that France would be recognized as a major power. France would also have an occupation zone in Germany. Harriman saw Roosevelt for the last time after the conference. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945.

After the war, relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union became difficult. Harriman reported that Stalin feared a separate peace between the U.S. and Japan. Harriman attended the Potsdam Conference with the new president, Harry Truman. He noticed the tight Soviet control in Berlin and their removal of German industry.

In 1952, a listening device was found in a gift given to Harriman in 1945. It was a carved wooden Great Seal of the United States that had been in his Moscow office.

Statesman and Diplomat

Poster featuring Lord Beaverbrook (left) and Harriman encouraging aid to Russia

Cold War Strategy

Harriman served as ambassador to the Soviet Union until January 1946. When he returned, he helped spread George Kennan's "Long Telegram". This analysis became a key part of Truman's Cold War strategy of containment.

From April to October 1946, he was ambassador to Britain. He then became United States Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman. In 1948, he was put in charge of the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild Europe.

Governor of New York

In 1954, Harriman won the election to become Governor of New York. He defeated Republican Senator Irving M. Ives. He served one term, from 1955 to 1958. He lost his re-election bid to Nelson Rockefeller. As governor, he increased some taxes. His time as governor was also influenced by his hopes of becoming president. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1952 and 1956, but lost both times to Adlai Stevenson II.

Kennedy and Johnson Administrations

After his time as governor, Harriman became a respected elder statesman. In January 1961, he was appointed Ambassador at Large in the Kennedy administration. He held this role until November, when he became Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs.

In 1961, Harriman represented President Kennedy at the funeral of King Mohammed V of Morocco. He supported the idea of a neutral government in Laos. He also helped negotiate the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

Harriman visited India and met with a Lao Prince, Souvanna Phouma. He believed that neutrality was the best path for Laos. When the Pathet Lao, a communist group, gained ground in Laos, Kennedy considered sending troops. Harriman advised against it, noting the difficulties of fighting there.

Harriman led the American delegation at the Geneva conference to neutralize Laos. He believed the American delegation was too large and wanted it smaller. He also pushed for a neutral Laos, fearing it would fall under Chinese influence if it became communist.

In November 1961, Kennedy promoted Harriman to Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs. Harriman supported Prince Souvanna Phouma as the leader of Laos. He urged Kennedy to stop supporting the right-wing Prince Phoumi Nosavan. Harriman believed that Phoumi was a weak leader.

In July 1962, Harriman met with a North Vietnamese minister. He reminded him of Roosevelt's support for Vietnamese independence. He also told the minister that North Vietnam should stop supporting the Viet Cong.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Harriman advised Kennedy to be firm. He also suggested giving Soviet leader Khrushchev a way to back down peacefully. Harriman's success in Laos and his advice during the Cuban Missile Crisis increased his standing with Kennedy.

Vietnam Policy and Coup Discussions

In August 1963, South Vietnam faced a crisis. Buddhist monks protested against President Ngo Dinh Diem's government. The CIA reported plots against Diem. Harriman supported the idea that the U.S. needed a new government in Saigon.

Harriman and others sent cables to the U.S. ambassador in Saigon. These cables suggested supporting a coup if Diem did not remove his brother and sister-in-law from power. Some officials in Washington were against a coup. Harriman argued that Diem's government was very unpopular. He believed that if Diem and his brother stayed, South Vietnam might be lost to communism.

Harriman was known for being direct and sometimes rude in meetings. He strongly argued for a coup against Diem. The American author Joseph Trento later accused Harriman of being responsible for the coup.

Ambassador-at-Large and Peace Talks

Ambassador Harriman meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Joseph Luns in 1965.

In 1965, Harriman visited Moscow to ask the Soviet Union to stop supporting North Vietnam. The meeting was difficult, with the Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin criticizing U.S. actions in Vietnam. Harriman insisted the U.S. would fight until victory.

Harriman meeting with President Johnson in 1967

Harriman was involved in peace negotiations in London in 1967. He also tried to open a back channel with Ho Chi Minh through French contacts. However, these efforts did not lead to peace.

In March 1968, President Johnson asked Harriman to lead peace talks with North Vietnam. Harriman immediately accepted. He pushed Johnson to stop all bombing of North Vietnam. It took over a month to find a location for the talks.

Paris Peace Talks (1968–1969)

On May 3, 1968, Paris was chosen as the site for the peace talks. Harriman found the State Department very bureaucratic. He preferred the freedom Roosevelt had given him during World War II.

Harriman quickly learned that the real leader of the North Vietnamese delegation was Lê Đức Thọ. Harriman wanted to meet Tho in private. These secret meetings were difficult to arrange.

In September 1968, Harriman finally met Tho. Harriman offered to withdraw all American forces from South Vietnam. He also promised billions in aid to rebuild North Vietnam.

In October 1968, Tho agreed to a key American demand. The South Vietnamese government could join the peace talks if the U.S. stopped bombing North Vietnam. Harriman was relieved. However, the South Vietnamese president, Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, refused to join the talks. He objected to the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) being included.

Thiệu's refusal delayed the talks until January 1969. On January 14, 1969, Harriman met Tho for the last time. Harriman was replaced by Nixon's nominee, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Harriman felt sad that he could not achieve a peace deal to end the Vietnam War.

Later Years and Legacy

Harriman with President Lyndon Johnson and U.S. ambassador to Vietnam Ellsworth Bunker during the Tet Offensive

In October 1969, Harriman spoke at a protest against the Vietnam War in New York. He called the war immoral.

Harriman received many honors. These included the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and the Sylvanus Thayer Award in 1975. In 1983, he received the Freedom Medal.

In 1973, he was interviewed for the TV documentary series The World at War. He shared his experiences from World War II and his views on the Cold War. He described Stalin as "utterly cruel".

Harriman was a member of several important groups. These included the Council on Foreign Relations and the Skull and Bones society.

Personal Life

Harriman helped his daughter Kathleen join him in London in 1941. She worked as a war correspondent and later as his aide in the Soviet Union.

Harriman married Kitty Lanier Lawrence in 1915. They had two daughters:

• Mary Averell Harriman (1917–1996)
• Kathleen Lanier Harriman (1917–2011)

They divorced in 1929.

In 1930, Harriman married Marie Norton Whitney (1903–1970). She was previously married to Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney. On their honeymoon, they bought many famous paintings. They later donated many of these artworks to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. They were married until her death in 1970. Harriman also helped raise Peter Duchin, the orphaned son of bandleader Eddy Duchin.

In 1971, he married Pamela Beryl Digby Churchill Hayward (1920–1997). She was the former wife of Winston Churchill's son. She later became the U.S. Ambassador to France in 1993.

Averell Harriman died on July 26, 1986, at the age of 94. He and Pamela Harriman are buried in Arden, New York.

Legacy and Honors

• Stony Brook University has a building named Harriman Hall in his honor.
• The W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus in Albany, New York, also carries his name.
• Harriman State Park (Idaho) is a wildlife refuge in eastern Idaho. It was given to Idaho by Roland and W. Averell Harriman in 1977. The park is home to many animals like elk, moose, and trumpeter swans. It opened to the public in 1982.

Summary of Career

• Vice President, Union Pacific Railroad Co., 1915–1917
• Chairman, W. A. Harriman & Company, 1920–1931
• Senior Partner, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 1931–1946
• Chairman, Union Pacific Railroad, 1932–1946
• Administrator, National Recovery Administration, 1934–1935
• Founder, Sun Valley Ski Resort, Idaho, 1936
• U.S. Ambassador & Special Representative to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1941–1943
• U.S. Ambassador to the USSR, 1943–1946
• U.S. Ambassador, Britain, 1946
• U.S. Secretary of Commerce, 1946–1948
• United States Coordinator, European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan), 1948–1950
• Special Assistant to the U.S. President, 1950–1952
• Director, Mutual Security Agency, 1951–1953
• Governor, State of New York, 1955–1959
• U.S. Ambassador-at-large, 1961
• Assistant US Secretary of State, Far Eastern Affairs, 1961–1963
• Special Representative to the U.S. President, Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 1963
• Under Secretary of State, Political Affairs, 1963–1965
• U.S. Ambassador-at-large, 1965–1969
• Personal Representative of the U.S. President, Peace Talks with North Vietnam, 1968–1969

Images for kids

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  Averell Harriman's signature.