William Knowland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Knowland
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| Senate Majority Leader | |
| In office November 7, 1956 – January 3, 1957 |
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| Deputy | Leverett Saltonstall |
| Preceded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| In office August 4, 1953 – January 3, 1955 |
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| Deputy | Leverett Saltonstall |
| Preceded by | Robert A. Taft |
| Succeeded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Senate Minority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959 |
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| Deputy | Leverett Saltonstall |
| Preceded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Everett Dirksen |
| In office January 3, 1955 – November 7, 1956 |
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| Deputy | Everett Dirksen |
| Preceded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Leader of the Senate Republican Conference | |
| In office August 4, 1953 – January 3, 1959 |
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| Deputy | Leverett Saltonstall Everett Dirksen |
| Preceded by | Robert A. Taft |
| Succeeded by | Everett Dirksen |
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – August 4, 1953 |
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| Leader | Robert A. Taft |
| Preceded by | Robert A. Taft |
| Succeeded by | Homer S. Ferguson |
| United States Senator from California |
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| In office August 26, 1945 – January 3, 1959 |
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| Preceded by | Hiram Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Clair Engle |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 16th district |
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| In office January 7, 1935 – January 2, 1939 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Breed Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Breed Jr. |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 14th district |
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| In office January 2, 1933 – January 7, 1935 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Israel |
| Succeeded by | Charles Wagner |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Fife Knowland
June 26, 1908 Alameda, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 23, 1974 (aged 65) Guerneville, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Helen Davis Herrick
(m. 1926; div. 1972)Ann Dickson
(m. 1972) |
| Children | 3, including Joe, and 2 stepchildren |
| Relatives | Joseph R. Knowland (Father) |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Forward Echelon Communications Zone Fifteenth United States Army |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Fife Knowland (June 26, 1908 – February 23, 1974) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He was a member of the Republican Party. Knowland served as a U.S. Senator for California from 1945 to 1959.
He became the Senate Majority Leader in August 1953 after Senator Robert A. Taft passed away. He held this important role until January 1955. He briefly became Majority Leader again from November 1956 to January 1957.
Knowland was one of the most powerful members of the Senate. He was very interested in foreign policy, which means how the U.S. deals with other countries. He helped decide what the country's goals and spending would be for the Cold War. This included policies about Vietnam, China, and Korea. He did not want American soldiers sent to French Indochina. He was also a strong critic of Communist China and its leader, Mao Zedong.
After the Republicans lost their majority in the 1954 election, Knowland served as Minority Leader. This meant he led the Republican senators even though they were not the majority. He held this role from January 1955 to November 1956, and again from January 1957 to January 1959. Knowland supported the Civil Rights Act of 1957, a law that aimed to protect the rights of all citizens.
In 1958, he ran for Governor of California but lost. Later, he took over his father's newspaper, the Oakland Tribune, as its editor-in-chief and publisher.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Knowland was born in Alameda, California, in 1908. His father, Joseph R. Knowland, was a U.S. Representative at the time. William was the third child in his family. His grandfather, Joseph Knowland, had earned the family's money in the lumber business. William's mother passed away shortly after he was born. His father's second wife, Emelyn S. West, raised him.
William was very interested in politics from a young age. When he was just 12 years old, he gave speeches for the Republican presidential candidates in 1920. He got married at 19 and became a state assemblyman at 25. He entered the U.S. Senate when he was 37.
Knowland was the student body president at Alameda High School, graduating in 1925. He then studied political science at the University of California, Berkeley. He finished his degree in three and a half years, graduating in 1929.
First Steps in Politics
Knowland attended the 1932 Republican National Convention as a young observer. He watched his father and other important leaders. In November 1932, he was elected to the California State Assembly, where he served for two years.
In 1934, he won an election to the California State Senate, serving for four years. He decided not to run for re-election in 1938. However, he stayed active in the Republican Party in California and at the national level. He was the chairman of a key committee for the Republican National Committee from 1940 to 1942.
Military Service in World War II
In June 1942, William Knowland was called to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. He started as a private, then became a sergeant. After attending Officer Candidate School, he became a second lieutenant.
He served in Europe starting in 1944, arriving in France about a month after D-Day. Knowland worked in France and Belgium, and later in Germany. He reached the rank of major. His military duties involved civil affairs and public relations, which matched his education and experience.
Military Awards
Knowland received several military awards for his service:
- American Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal
Becoming a U.S. Senator
The senior U.S. Senator from California, Hiram Johnson, passed away in August 1945. California's Governor Earl Warren chose Knowland to fill the empty Senate seat. Knowland was still serving overseas in the military when he found out about his new job from a newspaper.
He was sworn in as a Senator on September 6, 1945. He joined important committees, including one that investigated the national defense program.
In 1946, Knowland ran for election to keep the Senate seat. He won against his Democratic opponent, Will Rogers Jr., in both a special election and the general election. This meant he earned a full term in the Senate.
Key Senate Roles and Views
Knowland became a strong critic of President Harry S. Truman's administration. He disagreed with how the U.S. handled the "loss" of China to Communism and the Korean War.
He also sometimes disagreed with President Dwight D. Eisenhower, even though they were both Republicans. Eisenhower felt that Knowland had very strong, sometimes too simple, ideas about foreign policy, especially concerning China.
Knowland was sometimes called the "Senator from Formosa" because he strongly supported Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government in China. He was against China joining the United Nations. However, in later years, he changed his view and praised President Nixon's efforts to open relations with China in 1972.
In 1952, Knowland won both the Republican and Democratic nominations for his Senate seat. This was possible through a process called "cross-filing." He won the general election with a large majority of the votes.
When Senator Robert A. Taft passed away in 1953, Knowland was chosen to be the Senate Republican Leader. He was 45 years old, making him the youngest senator to hold this position. He was the Majority Leader from 1953 to 1955 and then the Minority Leader from 1955 to 1959.
Knowland worked well with the Democratic leader, Lyndon B. Johnson. They often cooperated on policies. They even worked together to try and limit the filibuster, a tactic where a senator can speak for a very long time to delay a vote on a bill. Knowland believed that blocking the legislative process was too much power for one person.
Knowland and Johnson also helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1957. This was the first civil rights law since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. Knowland was very emotional after the bill passed, wishing it could have been stronger.
Knowland was initially slow to criticize Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. However, when McCarthy questioned the honesty of the Secretary of State, Knowland publicly spoke out against him.
In 1956, there was talk that President Eisenhower might not run for re-election. Knowland briefly considered running for president himself but stepped aside when Eisenhower decided to seek a second term.
Run for Governor of California
In 1958, Knowland decided to run for Governor of California instead of seeking re-election to his Senate seat. This decision surprised many, including his father, who valued the Senate seat greatly.
Knowland won the Republican nomination for governor after a tough competition. A major issue in his campaign was Proposition 18, a proposed "right-to-work" law. This law would have made it harder for labor unions to operate. Knowland strongly supported Proposition 18, but it was very unpopular with voters.
He lost the election to the Democratic candidate, Edmund G. Brown, by a significant margin. After this defeat, Knowland's political career effectively ended. Many other California Republicans also lost their elections that year.
Life After Politics
After leaving politics, Knowland became the president, editor, and publisher of the Oakland Tribune newspaper in 1966, following his father's passing. He made sure the newspaper's editorial pages supported Republican views. However, he also worked to make the news sections more balanced.
During his time leading the newspaper, Oakland and the surrounding area were going through many changes. This included student protests at UC Berkeley and the rise of groups like the Black Panthers.
The Oakland Tribune celebrated its 100th anniversary in February 1974. Knowland spoke at the event, emphasizing the newspaper's role in keeping the public informed. The Knowland family later sold the Oakland Tribune in 1977.
Personal Life
William F. Knowland was married to Helen Davis Herrick, whom he had known since sixth grade. They married in 1926 and later divorced in 1972. He then married Ann Dickson in 1972.
He had three children with Helen Herrick: Emelyn K. Jewett, Joseph William Knowland, and Estelle Knowland. He also had two stepchildren from his marriage to Ann Dickson.
Images for kids
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American Campaign Medal
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European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
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World War II Victory Medal
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Army of Occupation Medal
