Bernard Mannes Baruch
Bernard Mannes Baruch was born on August 19, 1870, in Camden, South Carolina. His father’s name was Simon Baruch and he was a physician, scholar, and someone who helped to benefit health services. His mother’s name was Belle Wolfe Baruch.He also had three brothers, Herman B. Baruch, Hartwig N. Baruch, and Sailing W. Baruch. Growing up, Baruch went to the city college of New York, when most people found it too daunting, and would ignore the subject. He also worked as an office boy in a linen business. This shows that Bernard Baruch’s childhood was affected by his parents, and they really encouraged him to do his best.
Growing up was no different. He kept up the same success that he had as a child. He was married to Annie Griffin, and had two children with her; a girl, Belle Wilcox Baruch, and a boy, Bernard Baruch Jr. He also had many accomplishments. He started out by working in Wall Street brokerage houses. He also started his own firm, and was nicknamed “The Lone Wolf of Wall Street.” The reason for this was that he refused to sign on with any financial firm. By 1910, he gained status as being one of the best financiers on Wall Street. He soon gained more influence, and some of it was because of his work in Wall Street.
Bernard Mannes Baruch was also a very trustworthy person. The reason for this is that he served as a confidante for six presidents. In 1916, Baruch was appointed to the Advisory Commision of the Council of National Defense by President Woodrow Wilson. During World War I he became chairman of the War Industries Bond, or WIB. He was also designated to the major civilian agency for industrial mobilization by President Wilson. Bernard Baruch was also at the center of the government’s mobilization because of the WIB and the President’s War Council. In 1919, he was a representative in the Supreme Economic Council at the Versailles Peace Conference. He was also the personal advisor on the terms of peace to President Woodrow Wilson. Baruch urged a new WIB during World War II, but President Roosevelt ignored his advice because of concern for his own power. President Truman asked Bernard Baruch to formulate a postwar international policy for atomic energy in 1946. The Baruch Plan proposed that America’s atomic secrets and production of atomic bombs be safeguarded and kept a secret, “until an international agency, over which the USSR would not have a veto, established full control of manufacturing plants anywhere in the world.” (encylopedia.com). It was rejected by the Soviet Union. In fear of inflation, Baruch unsuccessfully tried to get the Truman administration to force wage and price controls, during the Korean War. However, by then, Baruch had lost his great influence.
Bernard Baruch has inspired me for many reasons. One is that you should follow your dreams, no matter what. Even in the toughest of situations, such as when Henry Ford accused Baruch of being a part of a Jewish conspiracy to control the world’s economy, Baruch did not give up. Instead, he continued his career, and tried to ignore the insults of others. Another lesson that I learned from him is that one should never underestimate the power of the human brain. He contributed towards a lot of things during his lifetime. He was a millionaire, a stock market investor, a confidante, a much wanted person, and more. He had a lot of stamina, and tried his best, even when things got rough.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” This is a very famous quote by Bernard Baruch, but what does it really mean? Well, Bernard Baruch was, at times, a group leader, but he was mostly a lone wolf. He didn’t really care about what others said about him, except for something that would brush his influence. He didn’t care about what others would say, except for those that were important in his life, such as his wife, father, and mother. This shows that Baruch was a man that didn’t mind what others would say, especially because he knew because they didn’t matter.
I think that Bernard Baruch was a very influential man, and was also very trustable. He served as a confidante, worked for the president, started his own firm, invested in the stock market, had a beautiful wife and two children, played an important role during both world wars, and a lot more besides this. I think that all this information points to the fact that Bernard Baruch was indeed a very gifted man, with many talents and few fears, which is why he was the amazing man that we think of today.
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