General Walter Bedell Smith (1895-1961) distinguished himself during World War II as chief of staff to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Immediately after the war, he was the ambassador to the Soviet Union and, from 1950-53, he directed the Central Intelligence Agency.

Bedell Smith's military career began in 1911 when he joined the Indiana National Guard and ended almost 40 years later when he retired as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. Initially, he envisioned himself fighting battles on the front lines but because of his impressive organizational skills, he ended up working for General George C. Marshall, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the head of America's military forces after the president. By 1942, Bedell Smith was sent to Europe to be the chief of staff to General Eisenhower. As the allies fought in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany, Bedell Smith was known by top...