William F. Knowland
| William F. Knowland | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Senate Minority Leader | |
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In office January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1959 |
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| Deputy |
Leverett Saltonstall Everett Dirksen (whips) |
| Preceded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Everett Dirksen |
| Senate Majority Leader | |
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In office August 4, 1953 – January 3, 1955 |
|
| Deputy | Leverett Saltonstall (whip) |
| Preceded by | Robert A. Taft |
| Succeeded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairman | |
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In office January 3, 1953 – August 4, 1953 |
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| Preceded by | Robert A. Taft |
| Succeeded by | Homer S. Ferguson |
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United States Senator from California |
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In office August 26, 1945 – January 3, 1959 |
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| Preceded by | Hiram Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Clair Engle |
| Member of the California State Assembly | |
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In office 1933–1935 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Fife Knowland June 26, 1908 Alameda, California |
| Died | February 23, 1974 (aged 65) Guerneville, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
1) Helen Davis Herrick (divorced) (1907–1981) 2) Ann Dickson (survived) (1931–1984) |
| Children | Emelyn Davis Jewett (1928–1988) Joseph William Knowland (1930–) Helen Estelle Knowland (1936–) Kay Sessinghaus Paolinetti (1953–) (stepdaughter) Steve Sessinghaus (1958–2007) (stepson) |
| Alma mater | University of California-Berkeley |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
1) Helen Davis Herrick (divorced) (1907–1981)
William Fife Knowland (June 26, 1908 – February 23, 1974) was an American politician, newspaper publisher, and Republican Party leader. He was a US Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from August, 1953 to January, 1955 after the death of Robert A. Taft.
As the most powerful member of the Senate and with his strong interest in foreign policy, Knowland helped set national foreign policy priorities and funding for the Cold War, the policy regarding Vietnam, Formosa, China, Korea and NATO, and other foreign-policy objectives.
He opposed sending American forces to French Indochina and was a sharp critic of Communist China under Mao Zedong. Knowland represented the right wing of the party and considered some of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's policies too liberal.
After the Republicans lost their majority in the 1954 election, he served as Minority Leader from 1955–1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for California Governor. He succeeded his father, Joseph R. Knowland, as the editor in chief and publisher of the Oakland Tribune.
Knowland was born in the City of Alameda, Alameda County, California. His father, Joseph R. Knowland, was serving his third term as a US Representative. He was the third child, with an older sister, Elinor (1895–1978), and a brother, Joseph Russell "Russ" Knowland, Jr. (1901–1961).
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