Miguel Alemán Valdés (1902-1983), the president of Mexico from 1946 to 1952, represented a new generation in Mexican political life, one that had not fought in the revolution. He pushed the industrialization of Mexico.

Miguel Alemán was born on Sept. 27, 1902, in Sayula, Veracruz, the son of a local revolutionary hero. After studying law at the National University, he entered political life and served as a judge and a senator for the state of Veracruz. From 1936 to 1940 he was governor of that state.

In 1940, Alemán directed the successful presidential campaign of Manuel Ávila Camacho and was rewarded with the key Cabinet portfolio of secretary of the interior. He was in charge of enemy aliens during the war and of the relations of the central government with the states. He followed a hard-line policy, crushing strikes and disorders attributed to pro-Axis and rightist...