Byrnes << burnz >>, James Francis (1882-1972), is best remembered as secretary of state under President Harry S. Truman from 1945 to 1947. With the creation of the United Nations in 1945, Byrnes hoped for international cooperation. By 1946, however, conflicts had arisen between the United States and the Soviet Union over the future of Eastern Europe, Iran, and Germany. Truman became convinced that Byrnes had been too “soft” on the Soviets. In January 1947, General George C. Marshall replaced Byrnes as secretary of state.
Byrnes was born on May 2, 1882, in Charleston, South Carolina. He had little formal education, but read law to prepare himself for that profession. He served as a Democratic representative from South Carolina in Congress from 1911 to 1925 and as a U.S. senator from 1931 to 1941. He became an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1941 and served until 1942. As governor of South Carolina from 1951 to 1955, Byrnes attacked racial integration. He died on April 9, 1972.
