John Foster Dulles John Foster Dulles John Foster Dulles (; February 25, 1888May 24, 1959) was an American diplomat. A Republican, he served as United States Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world. Born in Washington, D.C., Dulles joined the New York City law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell after graduating from George Washington University Law School. His grandfather, John W. Foster, and his uncle, Robert Lansing, both served as United States Secretary of State, while his brother,
Avery Dulles the fall of 1940. After both winning the Phi Beta Kappa Essay Prize and graduating from Harvard in 1940, Dulles spent a year and a half at Harvard Law School, during which time he founded the "St. Benedict Center". (The Center later became well-known due to the controversial Jesuit priest, Leonard Feeney, S.J.) He served in the United States Navy during World War II, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. For his liaison work with the French Navy, Dulles was awarded the French Croix de guerre. Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Avery Dulles entered the Society of Jesus,