30 Facts About Albert Wohlstetter

Albert James Wohlstetter was an American political scientist noted for his influence on US nuclear strategy during the Cold War.

Albert Wohlstetter was born on 19 December 1913, the fourth and youngest child of Philip Wohlstetter and Nellie.

Albert Wohlstetter's brother Charles was an accomplished businessman who would help Albert Wohlstetter get his start as a young man.

The Rex company was taken over and its Wilmington, Delaware factory converted to war production during World War I Philip died of a heart attack in 1918 when Albert was four years old.

Albert Wohlstetter started at Columbia Law School on a fellowship in 1934.

Albert Wohlstetter was bored by law school and left the program after only one year.

Albert Wohlstetter had a fellowship with the Social Science Research Council on a project to incorporate modern mathematical methods into economics and business cycle research.

Albert Wohlstetter left Columbia's graduate program to work for the US government on war planning during World War II and never completed his doctorate.

Albert Wohlstetter moved back to Washington, DC to serve as the Director of Programs for the National Housing Agency in 1946 and 1947, the only time in his career he was a federal employee.

At the USHA Wohlstetter worked with Paul Weidlinger, an engineer who had worked during the war for an aircraft company owned by Albert's brother, Charles, designing modular buildings such as airplane hangars that could be assembled quickly.

Albert Wohlstetter went to work for the General Panel Corporation to "tool up" their industrial plant.

Albert Wohlstetter knew the three from his days as a student and in government service.

When General Panel Corporation finally went out of business in 1951, Albert Wohlstetter wanted to return to academia in the east, but Roberta was intent on remaining in California.

Albert Wohlstetter set up a meeting between Albert and Charles J Hitch, the head of the RAND economics department.

Albert Wohlstetter remained a consultant with RAND for the first few years.

Albert Wohlstetter had shared a draft RAND paper by Constantin Melnik with Henry Rowen, then one of the Whiz Kids working as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs under Robert McNamara.

Brodie claimed that Albert Wohlstetter was extravagant in wining and dining clients and colleagues using RAND funds.

Albert Wohlstetter defended himself by pointing out that the Melnik paper was only a "D" designated document, RAND's lowest level classification, and as a former RAND employee who had collaborated extensively with Albert Wohlstetter on some of his most important studies, Rowen was authorized to receive the paper.

Nevertheless, RAND Director Frank Collbohm demanded that Albert Wohlstetter submit his resignation.

At the suggestion of Hans Morgenthau and with his help, Albert Wohlstetter secured a position as a professor of political science at the University of Chicago.

Albert Wohlstetter is often credited with influencing a number of prominent members of the neoconservative movement, including Richard Perle.

Albert Wohlstetter is the uncle of John Wohlstetter, author of Sleepwalking with the Bomb and The Long War Ahead and The Short War Upon Us.

On 16 December 1996, his 83rd birthday, Albert Wohlstetter was not feeling well.

Albert Wohlstetter made a fuss, not wanting to go to the emergency room.

Albert Wohlstetter is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Albert Wohlstetter was twice awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, first by Robert McNamara in February 1965 and again by Donald Rumsfeld in November 1976.

Albert Wohlstetter is the first recipient not employed by the Department of Defense and the first person awarded it twice.

Albert Wohlstetter served as one of the inspirations for Stanley Kubrick's film, Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

The character of Dr Strangelove is a composite of numerous people associated with RAND that besides Albert Wohlstetter included Herman Kahn, John von Neumann, Wernher von Braun, and Edward Teller.

Albert Wohlstetter criticized the politics of nuclear arms limitations conducted together with Moscow.