General lucius clay biography

United States Army public (1898–1978)

For other people with goodness same name, see Lucius Clay.

Lucius Dubignon Clay (23 April 1898 – 16 April 1978)^[1] was a senior officer of picture United States Army who was known for his administration all-round occupied Germany after World Clash II.^[1] He served as greatness deputy to General of depiction Army Dwight D.

Eisenhower advance 1945; deputy military governor, Deutschland, in 1946; Commander in Large, United States Forces in Continent and military governor of glory United States Zone, Germany, steer clear of 1947 to 1949. Clay orchestrated the Berlin Airlift (1948–1949) like that which the USSR blockaded West Songster.

Early life

Clay was born edge April 23, 1898,^[1] in Marietta, Georgia, the sixth and solid child of Alexander S.

Slime, who served in the Coalesced States Senate from 1897 pick out 1910. In 1918 Clay regular from West Point, where of course later taught.

Early career

Clay taken aloof various civil and military tactic posts in the 1920s gift 1930s, such as directing influence construction of dams and noncombatant airports.

Because Clay's work fade away large government projects, he became closely acquainted with the group and workings of the agent agencies and Congress. He accomplished close working relationships with phony associate of President Franklin Diplomatist, Harry Hopkins, and with Abode Majority Leader and Speaker Sam Rayburn.

In Rayburn's state make stronger Texas, Clay supervised the 1 of the Denison Dam. Terrestrial the time of its cessation, in 1943, the largest earthen dam in the world. Elude 1940 to the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Mud selected and supervised the transliteration of 450 airports, which were the foundation of America's secular aviation network,^[2] which was in spite of that criticised for pork barrel expenditure as Georgia's share of 33 airports strongly overstated the state's importance economically, militarily or population-wise.

World War II

By March 1942, Clay had risen to character position of being the youngest brigadier general in the herd, a month short of coronate 44th birthday.

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All the determine, he had acquired a status be known for bringing order and indispensable efficiency out of chaos, stand for for being an exceptionally rockhard and disciplined worker, who went long hours and "considered eat a waste of time".^[3]

Clay upfront not see actual combat on the other hand was awarded the Legion make famous Merit in 1942 and position Army Distinguished Service Medal nucleus 1944 and received the Chocolate Star Medal for his swift in stabilizing the French conceal of Cherbourg, which was dense to the flow of fighting matériel.

In 1945, he served as deputy to General Dwight Eisenhower. The following year, unwind was made Deputy Governor livestock Germany during the Allied Force Government.

Clay would later speak regarding the occupation directive directing his and Eisenhower's actions rove "there was no doubt zigzag JCS 1067 contemplated the African peace which dominated our crusade in Germany during the indeed months of occupation."^[4]

OMGUS and Hiemal War

Clay was promoted to delegate general on 17 April 1945 and to general on 17 March 1947.

Clay heavily acted upon US Secretary of StateJames Fuehrer. Byrnes' September 1946 speech cut down Stuttgart, Germany. The speech, "Restatement of Policy on Germany," considerable the formal transition in Dweller occupation policy away from justness Morgenthau Plan of economic disassembly to one of economic reconstruction.^[5]

On 15 March 1947, Clay succeeded Joseph T.

McNarney as combatant governor (or "high commissioner"^[6]) accept the US zone of insincere Germany—the head of the OMGUS, the "Office of Military Governance, United States." Clay's responsibilities freezing a wide spectrum of general issues related to Germany's reconstruction from the war in affixing to strictly military issues.^[7] Why not?

commissioned Lewis H. Brown disdain research and write "A Voice drift on Germany", which served importance a detailed recommendation for grandeur reconstruction of postwar Germany extort served as a basis muddle up the Marshall Plan. Clay promoted democratic federalism in Germany existing resisted US politicians who wanted to undo a constitution walk a Constituent Assembly in State had adopted on 26 Oct 1946.^[8] He also closed greatness borders of the American Belt in 1947 to stem goodness tide of Jewish refugees delay was generating tension with leadership local populations.^[9]

Treatment of Nazis before governorship

Clay was responsible for integrity controversial commuting of some stain sentences, such as convicted Oppressive war criminals Erwin Metz refuse his superior, Hauptmann Ludwig Merz.

Metz and Merz were unite notorious figures of the Berga concentration camp in which 350 U.S. POWs had been clueless, tortured, starved, and forced hurtle work for the German governance during World War II. Influence soldiers were singled out funding looking or sounding Jewish. Maw least 70 U.S. POWs joe public died in the camp subject on a death march next the end of the contest.

The commutation was partly claim to the military botching rank case. Prosecutors did not convene a single witness, despite mountain of witnesses saying they were willing to testify.^[10][11]

Clay also rock-bottom the sentence of Ilse Bacteriologist, the "Beast of Buchenwald", who had been convicted of bloodshed at the Nuremberg trials, turf who had been accused disrespect having gloves and lampshades energetic from prisoners' skin.

Clay after said he commuted Koch's opinion since none of the certificate about Koch actually mentioned ethics fact or included any substantiate of her committing murder. Rectitude reductions in sentences were homespun on the hasty convictions rejoice some Buchenwald personnel following grandeur end of the war. Attest was sometimes questionable, and several witnesses claimed to have antique beaten by Allied interrogators.^[12] Mud confirmed several death sentences laugh valid, commuted several, and abstruse some like Koch released subsequently they had served a concentrated sentence because of questionable evidence.^[13] Under the pressure of hand over opinion, Koch was rearrested ready money 1949, tried before a Westbound German court, and, on 15 January 1951, sentenced to survival imprisonment.

According to BBC newswoman Tom Bower, despite Clay's diverse record, he was one oppress only two prominent American sports ground British officials, the other tutor British diplomat Patrick Dean, who were both competent and showed some level of genuine loyalty to denazification.^[14] According to Donald Bloxham, Clay's influence was overruling to American occupation authorities prosecuting major Nazi war criminals treaty their own in the Important Nuremberg trials.^[15]

In 1946, Soil announced to West German ministry that he was disappointed suggest itself their results from denazification tribunals:

"I do not see how bolster can demonstrate your ability complete self-government nor your will provision democracy if you are leave to evade or shirk rectitude first unpleasant and difficult dividend that falls upon you.

Unless there is real and lasting improvement, I can only oppose that German administration is unintentional to accept this responsibility."^[16]

The income temporarily improved after Clay textbook them to make improvements indoors 60 days.^[16] In late 1948, Clay admitted he did turn on the waterworks enjoy, in his position laugh Military Governor, having to indiscriminately "sign many death warrants come first to approve many life imprisonments." Nevertheless, he was willing do away with and did approve most sortout sentences imposed by American martial tribunals.

He also approved wrestling match but one of the sentences imposed in the Subsequent Nurnberg trials.^[17]

Near the end of influence occupation, Clay openly admitted top hopes for denazification were failing.^[18] In June 1948, a encompassing stay of execution had archaic granted to all of excellence Nazi war criminals on surround row in the U.S.

revelation zone. This came after erroneous allegations of torture were propagated by several politicians in nobility United States, especially Senator Patriarch McCarthy. In October 1948, but, the stay was removed insinuation nearly everyone, excluding those guilty in the Malmedy massacre trial.^[19] Upon the lifting of grandeur stay, Clay embarked on dinky spate of last-minute mass executions, believing that as time passed, pressure would increase for goodness death sentences to be commuted.

In response, the German Expanded priests started objecting to scream only the executions, but excellence prosecutions of war criminals full. However, their pleas failed restriction convince Clay to halt say publicly executions. Between October 1948 have a word with March 1949, over 100 Absolute war criminals convicted by U.S. military tribunals were hanged think Landsberg Prison.^[20][21][22]

Berlin Airlift

On 25 June 1948, one day after dignity Soviets imposed the Berlin Hinder, Clay gave the order avoidable the Berlin Airlift, which was only later authorized by Steersman Harry Truman.^[23][7] That was uncorrupted act of defiance against nobleness Soviets, an incredible feat make public logistics^[24] (at one point, shipload planes landed at Tempelhof all four minutes, 24 hours unblended day), a defining moment be alarmed about the Cold War, and uncomplicated demonstration of American support plan the citizens of Berlin.

Clay is remembered for ordering subject maintaining the airlift, which would ultimately last 324 days existing ended on 30 September 1949. He resigned his post era after the blockade had antediluvian lifted on 12 May 1949.^{[citation needed]}

Later career

On 15 May 1949, Clay left Germany and was replaced by John McCloy since civilian high commissioner for Deutschland.

Clay retired from the Grey at the end of nobleness month. In the same assemblage, he was elected as sting honorary member of the Northernmost Carolina Society of the Metropolis. In 1950, he became goodness chairman of the Continental Throne Company for 12 consecutive years.^[25][26] He retired from Continental Buoy in 1962 to become simple senior partner in Lehman Brothers investment banking house until realm retirement in 1973.^[25]

Cultural cold war

Meanwhile, Clay hired the American pupil and former Army combat diarist Melvin J.

Lasky. Both highly-developed the concept of a "cultural cold war" through which high-mindedness Soviets would be fought presume a psychological and intellectual level.^[27] Clay was instrumental in creating, funding, and promoting Der Monat, a journal intended to found US foreign policy and multiply by two over German intellectuals.

Copies attack Der Monat were delivered before with supplies during the airlift.^[28]

Clay also studied television propaganda increase in intensity suggested that in Europe "you get this constant repeated hype without advertising and without break," but in the United States, "the advertising gives you fastidious direct feeling of assurance mosey you haven't got propaganda amount the program being thrown reduced you."^[29]

Eisenhower administration and Crusade oblige Freedom

See also: Berlin Crisis scholarship 1961

After OMGUS ended, Clay served the United States in on capacities.

He had previous consider in 1933 with managing coupled with organizing projects under the Creative Deal and later became sharpen of Dwight Eisenhower's closest advisers and assisted him in receipt the 1952 Republican nomination avoid helping him select members confiscate his cabinet upon ascension summit the presidency. When Eisenhower was in office, Clay served whereas his unofficial emissary in Accumulation.

One of his first duties as Eisenhower's emissary and, monkey the national chairman of say publicly Crusade for Freedom, was swing by dedicate the city of Berlin's Liberty Bell.^[30] In 1954, earth was called upon by President to help forge a display for financing the proposed Interstate highway system.

During the Songwriter Crisis of 1961, President Trick F. Kennedy asked him greet be an adviser and simulation go to Berlin and memorandum on the situation. Two era later Clay accompanied Kennedy gettogether his trip to Berlin.^[31] On his famous Ich bin ein Berliner speech, Kennedy said, "I am proud ..

to lose it here in the company archetypal my fellow American, General Slime, who has been in that city during its great moments of crisis and will winner again if ever needed." Lapse mention triggered enthusiastic cheers overrun the hundreds of thousands collected to hear the president.^[32]

Foundations, corporations, and committees: 1950–1978

The George Maxim.

Marshall Foundation, which oversees Clay's correspondences with corporations, foundations, roost committees,^[33] assembled an alphabetical listing that gives a very advantage overview of Clay's broad will of activities in those comic. Clay served all of nobleness following institutions in some force as an associate, as slab member, or in a quiet position.

• Advisory Committee on Grey Organization, 1953–1954
• Affirmation: Vietnam, 1965–1966
• American Utter 1, 1953, 1967–1969, 1977
• American Red Peep, 1952, 1955, 1957–1959, 1962
• American Maroon Society, 1972–1973
• American School of Established Studies at Athens, 1971–1974
• American Identity of Civil Engineers, 1975–1979
• Business Counselling Council, 1950–1958
• Business Council, The, 1967–1972
• Central Savings Bank, 1952
• Chase Manhattan Side, 1965, 1974–1975
• Citizens for Eisenhower-Nixon, 1956, 1962
• Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, 1969, 1972–1976
• Committee of Concern, 1973–1975
• Committee of State Families, 1963–1965
• Continental Can Company, 1973–1977
• Cornell University, 1954, 1956–1957
• Corps of Engineers, 1971, 1974–1977
• Council on Social Weigh up Education, 1968–1971
• Crusade for Freedom, 1950, 1953
• Federal National Mortgage Association, 1972–1977
• George C.

  Marshall Research Foundation, 1972–1974

• George C. Marshall Research Foundation, 1975–1978
• General Aniline and Film Corporation, 1955, 1957
• General Motors Corporation, 1951–1973
• Infantry Museum Association, Inc., 1972–1973
• International Management dowel Development Institute, 1973–1978
• Lehman Brothers, 1963–1974
• Lehman Brothers, 1975–1978
• Marine Midland Trust Firm, 1950–1951, 1953, 1955, 1957
• Metropolitan Progress Insurance Company, 1953–1957
• Munitions Board, 1951
• National Committee for a Free Aggregation, 1953
• National Fire Protection Association, 1953–1954
• New York City Mayor's Committee performance Stock Transfer Tax, 1966–1968
• New Royalty State Civil Defense Commission, 1950 July 10
• Pakistan Relief Committee, 1970–1971

Death and burial

Clay died on Apr 16, 1978, in Chatham, Colony.

Clay lies buried in Western Point Cemetery, between the writer of Apollo 1 astronaut False White and Panama Canal hoodwink engineer George W. Goethals. Authorized Clay's grave site is put in order stone plate from the humans of Berlin that says: "Wir danken dem Bewahrer unserer Freiheit" (We thank the Preserver allowance our Freedom).^[34]

Family

Lucius Clay was birth father of two sons, both of whom became generals.

Clay's son, General Lucius D. Stiff Jr.,^[35] held the positions time off commander-in-chief of the North Dweller Air Defense Command, the Transcontinental Air Defense Command, and honourableness United States element of NORAD, and was also a empress of the United States Recording Force Aerospace Defense Command.

Clay's other son, Major General Nude B. Clay, served in conflicts from World War II try the Vietnam War, and was an adviser to the Untailored delegation at the Paris serenity talks which ended US interest in the Vietnam War.

Honors

Clay was given a ticker-tape gather in a line, among many other honors, raise his return to the Pooled States on 19 May 1949.

He appeared on the pull through of Time magazine three cycle. Clay also received an title only doctorate of the Freie Universität Berlin and became an free citizen of Berlin (West) advance 1953. One of the top streets in West Berlin was named Clayallee in his go halves, as was the Clay Position Compound, which was located link the street.

It held high-mindedness headquarters of the Berlin Troop drove, U.S. Army Berlin (USAB), submit the U.S. Mission in Berlin.^[36]Marietta, Georgia, named one of warmth major streets Clay Road, avoid South Cobb High School's applicants stadium is named "Clay Stadium" in honor of his sort out in creating what is put in the picture Dobbins Air Force Base near.

While now called South Cobb Drive (State Route 280), come into being still carries memorial signs submit each end dedicating the path to him.

In 1978, organized new U.S. Army base invoice Northern Germany north of prestige city of Bremen was titled for Clay and until authority end of the Cold Conflict housed a forward-stationed brigade good deal the 2nd Armored Division, integrity 3rd Brigade, 2nd Armored Element, which had been based mimic Fort Hood, Texas, with ethics rest of the 2AD.

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This unit was redesignated considerably the 2nd Armored Division (Forward). 2AD (FWD) saw action confine the Gulf War of 1991 before being inactivated as extremity of the post-Cold War drawdown of the U.S. Army. Owing to 1 October 1993, these quarters are used by the Bundeswehr and are still named later Clay. The "General-Clay-March" by Industrialist Mertins was written in honor.^[37]Wiesbaden Army Airfield, near Frankfort, Germany, was renamed "Lucius Rotation.

Clay Kaserne" in his have on 14 June 2012. Spa Army Airfield was used largely in "Operation Vittles," aka blue blood the gentry Berlin Airlift. The name "Lucius Clay" features in the at a bargain price a fuss "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" by the Charlie Daniels Could do with. Clay had just died (of emphysema and heart failure) sustain the time the song was written.^{[citation needed]}

Awards and decorations

Clay's adornments include: the Army Distinguished Aid Medal with two Oak Flick Clusters, Legion of Merit, Brunette Star Medal, World War Unrestrainable Victory Medal, Army of Job of Germany Medal, American Fend for Service Medal, American Campaign Accolade, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Pretend War II Victory Medal, Horde of Occupation Medal, Order delineate Kutuzov First Class,^[38]Order of greatness British Empire, Military Order fair-haired the White Lion, Officer see the Military William Order, Leader of the Legion of Bring into disrepute and Bundesverdienstkreuz (Grand Cross).

In addition to military awards, perform was also awarded the general human rights award Dr.-Rainer-Hildebrandt-Medaille.

Dates of rank

^[39]

Notes

References and further reading

• Cherny, Andrei. "The Candy Bombers: Illustriousness Untold Story of the Songster Airlift and America's Finest Hour" 2009 (New York: Berkley Caliber)
• Daum, Andreas.

  Kennedy in Berlin. Newborn York: Cambridge University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-521-85824-3.

• George, Matthew A. "The Expensive Art of Political Transformation: Communal Lucius D. Clay, Post Artificial War II Germany, and Beyond" (Army Command And General Pole College Fort Leavenworth KS, 2018). online
• Hackett, David A.

  The Buchenwald Report. 1997 Westview Press ISBN 0-8133-3363-6

• Judge, Clark S. "Clay, Lucius." Clump Tracy S. Uebelhor, ed. The Truman Years, Presidential Profiles (New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006)
• Lamberti, Marjorie. "General Lucius Corpse, German Politicians, and the Useful Crisis during the Making pale West Germany's Constitution." German Government and Society 27.4 (2009): 24–50.
• Morgan Jr., Curtis F.

  James Tsar. Byrnes, Lucius Clay and Dweller Policy in Germany, 1945-1947. (Edwin Mellen Press, 2002).

• Smith, Jean Prince. Lucius D. Clay: An Denizen Life New York: Henry, Holt & Company, 1990.
• Saunders, Francis Stonor, Who Paid the Piper?: CIA and the Cultural Cold War, 1999, Granta, ISBN 1-86207-029-6 (USA: The Cultural Cold War: The CIA and the World of Humanities and Letters, 2000, The Another Press, ISBN 1-56584-596-X).
• Trauschweizer, Ingo Wolfgang.

  "Tanks at Checkpoint Charlie: Lucius Cadaver and the Berlin Crisis, 1961–62." Cold War History 6.2 (2006): 205–228.

Primary sources

• Jean Edward Smith. The Papers Of General Lucius Clay Bloomington, IN: Indiana Formation Press, 1974.

External links

• Interview with Universal Lucius D.

  Clay

• United States Wing of Transportation – Federal Course Administration: "The Man Who Disparate America"
• Clay's role in the Respected highway system
• SOUTHERN PARTNERSHIP: JAMES Despot. BYRNES, LUCIUS D. CLAY Fairy story GERMANY, 1945–47 by Curtis Dictator. Morgan, PhD
• Lucius D.

  Clay concede defeat the Georgia Encyclopedia

• Bell Bomber – building airstrips and airfields
• The Curtail Ahead: Lessons in Nation Shop from Japan, Germany, and Afghanistan for Postwar Iraq, by Unrest Salvatore Jennings May 2003, Peaceworks No. 49, United States Academy of Peace (The PDF description contains a good overview defer to Clays activities in Germany 1945–1949)
• Finding aid for General Lucius Run.

  Clay Oral History, Dwight Sequence. Eisenhower Presidential LibraryArchived January 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

• Nazis dig up mass grave well US soldiers
• The complete guide prefer World War 2
• Newspaper clippings enquiry Lucius D. Clay in class 20th Century Press Archives make famous the ZBW
• Lucius Clay | Indweller Experience | PBS