Bio of alexander haig biography

1. Early Life and Education
2. Military Career
3. Vietnam and the White House
4. Watergate and NATO
5. Secretary of State and Later Career
6. Legacy

Early Life and Education

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. was born on December 2, 1924, in Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. His father passed away when he was ten years old. He attended St. Matthew's Parish School in Bala-Cynwyd, St. Joseph's Catholic School in Philadelphia, and Lower Merion High School, graduating in 1942.

After spending a year at the University of Notre Dame, Haig transferred to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1944. He graduated 217th out of 310 in 1947.

Military Career

Haig served in Kansas, Kentucky, and Japan before marrying Patricia Antoinette Fox in May 1950. They had three children. In Japan, he served as an administrative aide to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War. He mapped out operations and provided nightly briefings to MacArthur.

After being promoted to captain in late 1950, Haig participated in the Inchon landings, the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and the Hungnam evacuation. He earned two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star for his service in Korea.

After contracting hepatitis, Haig was assigned to an armored unit at Fort Knox. Completing advanced training, he taught at West Point and later studied at Columbia University's School of Business from 1954 to 1955.

He served in West Germany, was promoted to major in 1957, and worked in the USAEUR (United States Army Europe) headquarters from 1958 to 1959. He then attended the Naval War College for a year and studied international relations at Georgetown University for another. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1962, he served in various staff positions from 1962 to 1964.

Vietnam and the White House

From 1964 to 1968, Haig served as an assistant to Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance. He successfully navigated interagency conflicts and diplomatic crises regarding Berlin, the Dominican Republic intervention, and Cuba.

Haig participated in the Vietnam War, commanding a battalion and later a brigade in the 1st Infantry Division. His battalion fought in the Battle of Ap Gu in 1967, earning him the Distinguished Service Cross. Promoted to colonel, Haig returned to Washington, D.C., in 1969 as the primary military aide to National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. He became an invaluable "chief of staff" to Kissinger and eventually worked directly with the White House.

Watergate and NATO

Haig gained notoriety when President Nixon promoted him to four-star general and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, bypassing 240 senior officers. However, he soon returned to the White House as Special Assistant to the President from 1973 to 1974. Haig played a key role in the negotiations leading to Nixon's resignation in August 1974 and the assumption of the presidency by Gerald Ford.

In 1974, Haig was appointed Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), and Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Europe (USAREUR), a position he held until 1979. On June 25, 1979, he survived an assassination attempt in Mons, Belgium, when a bomb exploded under his car. Three of his bodyguards were injured. The attack was attributed to the Red Army Faction.

Secretary of State and Later Career

After retiring from the Army in 1979, Haig became executive vice president of United Technologies. In January 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed him Secretary of State. Haig's hawkish stance clashed with that of Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, and he was reportedly disliked by Nancy Reagan. After the Falkland Islands War, Haig resigned on June 25, 1982.

In 1988, Haig sought the Republican presidential nomination but lost to George H. W. Bush. He later joined the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya.

Legacy

Alexander Haig was a controversial figure whose military and political career was marked by both successes and setbacks. He was a highly decorated veteran, a skilled diplomat, and a respected statesman.