William F. Knowland

Who was William F. Knowland?

William Fife Knowland was an American politician, newspaper publisher, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953–1954 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 Indo-China and was quite hostile to China under Mao Zedong. Knowland represented the right wing of the GOP, and considered President Eisenhower's policies too moderate.

After the GOP lost its 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.