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Paul Nitze

Paul Henry Nitze was born on January 16, 1907 in Amherst, Massachusetts. He was educated at the Hotchkiss School and graduated Harvard University in 1927.

After working in investment banking, he entered government service.

Offices and positions held:

• Served as vice chairman of the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (1944-1946).
• Head of policy planning for the State Dept. (1950-1953)
• Was the principal author of a highly influential secret National Security Council document (NSC-68), which provided the strategic outline for increased U.S. expenditures to counter the perceived threat of Soviet armament.
• Served as Secretary of the Navy (1963-1967)
• Deputy Secretary of Defense (1967-1969),
• Member of the U.S. delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) (1969-1973),
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for international affairs (1973-1976).

He was notable opposed to the ratification of SALT II (1979). He was President Reagan's chief negotiator of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty (1981-1984).

In 1984 he was named special adviser to the President and Secretary of State on Arms Control. For over forty years, Nitze was one of the chief architects of U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union.