Born Apr. 7, 1893, in Water-town, N.Y., died Jan. 29, 1969, in Washington, D.C. American statesman.
Dulles was a lawyer by profession. Between 1916 and 1926 he was in the diplomatic service. Later, he became a partner in a large law firm—Sullivan and Cromwell. During 1942–45 he headed the US political intelligence system in Europe, and in 1947 he began work in the US Central Intelligence Agency. Dulles served as director of the CIA between 1953 and 1961. He was one of the organizers of extensive US intelligence work, espionage, and sabotage against the USSR, the other socialist countries, and the national liberation movement. Dulles, as director of the CIA, and his brother J. F. Dulles exerted a strong influence on the shaping of the US government’s anti-Soviet policy during the 1950’s.