Walt Rostow
Walt Whitman Rostow OBE (October 7, 1916 – February 13, 2003) was an American economist, professor and political theorist who served as national security advisor to president of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson from 1966 to 1969.
Walt Rostow | |
|---|---|
Rostow in 1968 | |
| 6th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office April 1, 1966 – January 20, 1969 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Deputy | Francis Bator |
| Preceded by | Mac Bundy |
| Succeeded by | Henry Kissinger |
| Counselor of the United States Department of State | |
| In office December 4, 1961 – March 31, 1966 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson |
| Preceded by | George McGhee |
| Succeeded by | Robert Bowie |
| Director of Policy Planning | |
| In office December 4, 1961 – March 31, 1966 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson |
| Preceded by | George McGhee |
| Succeeded by | Henry Owen |
| 1st Deputy National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 1961 – December 4, 1961 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Carl Kaysen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Walt Whitman Rostow October 7, 1916 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 13, 2003 (aged 86) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Elspeth Davies |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Yale University (BA, MA, PhD) Balliol College, Oxford (BLitt) |
Rostow worked in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II and later was a foreign policy adviser and speechwriter for presidential candidate and then President John F. Kennedy; he is often credited with writing Kennedy's famous "New Frontier" speech. Prominent for his role in shaping US foreign policy in Southeast Asia during the 1960s, he was a staunch anti-communist, noted for a belief in the efficacy of capitalism and free enterprise, and strongly supported US involvement in the Vietnam War. Rostow is known for his book The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto (1960), which was used in several fields of social science. Rostow's theories were embraced by many officials in both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations as a possible counter to the increasing popularity of communism in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
His elder brother Eugene Rostow also held a number of high government foreign policy posts.