Dean Acheson Quotes

A collection of quotes by Dean Acheson.

Dean Acheson (1893-1971) was an American statesman and lawyer who served as the United States Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953 under President Harry S. Truman. He played a prominent role in shaping American foreign policy during the early Cold War years, helping to establish the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and providing critical support to the Truman Doctrine. A firm believer in containment, Acheson was instrumental in formulating the policy towards the Soviet Union. His memoirs, "Present at the Creation," won the Pulitzer Prize in 1970.

... the situation was still too delicate for complete candor

... the situation was still too delicate for complete candor and the ultimate truth too unformed for statement.

The simple truth is that perseverance in good policies is th

The simple truth is that perseverance in good policies is the only avenue to success...

Success Truth Perseverance

No people in history have ever survived who thought they cou

No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies.

The most important aspect of the relationship between the pr

The most important aspect of the relationship between the president and the secretary of state is that they both understand who is president.

The future comes one day at a time.

The future comes one day at a time.

Great Britain has lost an Empire and has not yet found a rol

Great Britain has lost an Empire and has not yet found a role.

We have actively sought and are actively seeking to make the

We have actively sought and are actively seeking to make the United Nations an effective instrument of international cooperation.

Nationalism Nation Nationality

A memorandum is not written to inform the reader, but to pro

A memorandum is not written to inform the reader, but to protect the writer.

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.

The manner in which one endures what must be endured is more

The manner in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured.

Negotiation in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties

Negotiation in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties more anxious to agree than to disagree.

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull. Thi

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull. This is not always easy to achieve.