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Gates, Thomas
Gates, Thomas (1906–1983), secretary of defense (1959–61).Gates was born in Philadelphia and became an investment banker, serving in the navy in World War II. In the Eisenhower administration, he was successively undersecretary (1953–57) and secretary of the navy (1957–59) and deputy secretary of defense before succeeding Neil McElroy as secretary on 2 December 1959.
Gates moved quickly to establish close relations with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meeting with them regularly to force decisions on disputed issues. Gates's principal contribution to defense planning was his institution of the Single Integrated Operating Plan (SIOP), which unified the targeting of all strategic nuclear weapons in general war. In doing so, he overrode strong opposition from the navy, with its traditional hostility to centralized defense organization. While supporting President Dwight D. Eisenhower's effort to hold down defense spending, Gates recognized the need for a modest increase to meet growing Soviet power. He firmly and accurately denied the existence of a “missile gap”—an advantage in missiles favoring the Soviet Union. In 1969, President Richard M. Nixon appointed Gates to head a commission that successfully recommended replacing the conscription with an All‐Volunteer Force. [See also Defense, Department of; McNamara, Robert S.] Bibliography James M. Roherty , Decisions of Robert S. McNamara: A Study of the Role of the Secretary of Defense, 1970. Robert J. Watson |
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Cite this article
John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-GatesThomas.html John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-GatesThomas.html |
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Gates, Thomas
Gates, Thomas (1906–83) secretary of defense (1959–61) during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration, born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Gates improved relations with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and created the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff to coordinate targeting plans between the Strategic Air Command and the navy, resulting in the first SIOP, or Single Integrated Operational Plan. Gates also served as Secretary of the Navy (1957–59). As a navy officer in World War II, he participated in campaigns in the Pacific and Mediterranean, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander.
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Cite this article
"Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-GatesThomas.html "Gates, Thomas." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-GatesThomas.html |
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