Abstract
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Former Secretary of Agriculture, Vice President, Secretary of Commerce, and third party presidential candidate, Henry A. Wallace has been referred to as one of the most famous “almost-presidents.” [1] Wallace held public office from 1933-1946, just as the Cold War was beginning. He was a contrarian, continually putting forward ideas that were new and opposed to the norm. His contrarian nature and the content of his views on the Soviet Union put him on a collision course with President Truman during these crucial early years of the Cold War. Wallace believed he was identifying fatal mistakes that Truman's administration was making regarding foreign policy, and felt obligated to do what he could to put the U.S. on the “right” path. One cannot know for sure if his path would have been the right path, but some scholars have speculated that if Wallace’s ideas were not actively ignored, history may have unfolded in a completely different way. [2] Perhaps this is why some have said that Wallace has been written out of history. [3] This site is an attempt to write him back in in order to better understand the potential effects of dismissing those who present dissenting views within an administration.
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About the Author
Site created by Charlotte Goodman as a final project for History 282: Diplomatic History of the United States with Professor Matthew Pinsker. Charlotte is a current sophomore attending Dickinson College pursuing a Bachelor's degree in International Studies and Spanish.
