William Conrad Gibbons facts for kids
William Conrad Gibbons (born September 26, 1926, died July 4, 2015) was an American expert on history and foreign policy. He was known for his important books about the Vietnam War.
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William Conrad Gibbons' Life and Work
William Gibbons was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1926. He started college at the University of Virginia in 1945. His studies were paused so he could serve in World War II. After the war, he finished his degree at Randolph-Macon College in 1949. He later earned his advanced degrees (Masters and Ph.D.) in Government from Princeton University in 1957.
Working in Washington, D.C.
Gibbons worked in Capitol Hill, which is where the U.S. Congress meets. He worked for two senators, Wayne Morse and Mike Mansfield. He also helped Lyndon B. Johnson when Johnson was running for president in 1960.
From 1960 to 1963, Gibbons was a staff member for the Democratic Party. He also helped the Majority Leader of the United States Senate. This leader was first Lyndon B. Johnson and then Mike Mansfield.
Gibbons tried to become a member of Congress for his home area in Virginia, but he did not win. He then went back to Washington. There, he worked for the United States Agency for International Development. This agency helps other countries. He was the director of Congressional Liaison from 1965 to 1968.
Later Career and Important Books
After working for the government, William Gibbons became a professor. He started the political science department at Texas A&M University. He also taught at Wellesley College.
In 1972, Dr. Gibbons joined the Library of Congress. He became a senior analyst for the Foreign Affairs Division. He worked there for twenty years.
Writing About the Vietnam War
While at the Library of Congress, he wrote a very important four-book series. The series was called "The U.S. Government and the Vietnam War." These books explained how the U.S. government made decisions about the Vietnam War.
Many historians and journalists praised his work. They called his books "the best" and said he was "the master of Vietnam research." His series was a major source for other famous books about the Vietnam War. These included books by Robert McNamara and Stanley Karnow. Karnow's books also led to a PBS TV series called Vietnam: A Television History.
In 1980, he became a visiting professor at George Mason University. He continued to work on his book series there. William Gibbons passed away on July 4, 2015, at his farm in Monroe, Virginia. He was 88 years old.
William Gibbons' Collected Papers
William Gibbons' research notes and documents are kept at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library. This library stores important papers from President Johnson's time.
The collection has many copies of old, original documents. Gibbons gathered these documents while researching his books about the U.S. government and the Vietnam War.
The documents are arranged in time order. They cover the years when Lyndon B. Johnson was president, from 1963 to 1968. These papers mostly show how important decisions were made about the Vietnam War. They include information from the White House, Congress, and the State and Defense Departments.
Gibbons found these documents in many places across the country. This included the Johnson Library, the National Archives, and offices like the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense.
