Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930

General Tasker Howard Bliss was born on December 31, 1853 in Lewisburg, PA. A graduate of West Point, Bliss taught at the academy as well as the Naval War College. Bliss was a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference. He wanted the League of Nations but did not agree with the Treaty of Versailles since he believed that the harsh punishment of Germany would prevent a lasting peace. He died on November 9, 1930, in Washington, DC.

Army officer, diplomat, and scholar.

General, United States Army; chief of staff, 1917; delegate, Paris Peace Conference, 1918-1919.

Tasker Howard Bliss was born on 31 December 1853 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Bucknell (then Lewisburg) University for one year before entering the United States Military Academy (USMA). He graduated eighth in his class on 16 June 1875, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Artillery. Bliss married Eleanor (or Eleanora) E. Anderson on 24 May 1882. Early and mid-career highlights include: serving as Aide-de-Camp to U.S. Army Commanding General John M. Schofield, the Military Attaché to the United States Legation in Spain, Chief of Staff, 1st Division, I Army Corps (under Major General James H. Wilson), Collector of Customs for the Island of Cuba and the Port of Havana (while also President of the Commission to Revise the Cuban Tariff Treaty), and an appointment to the Army War College Board as Special Envoy to Cuba to negotiate the treaty ratification in 1902. Lieutenant Colonel Bliss was commissioned as a Brigadier General in the Regular Army by an Act of Congress under direction of the U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Later career highlights include: appointments as member of the General Staff, Chief, 3rd Division and President of the Army War College, participating in the Manassas Maneuvers, commanding the Phillipine Department of Mindanao and serving as Governor of the Moro Province, commanding the Department of California, the Department of the East, Fort Totten, New York, and the Department of the South, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. In 1915, BG Bliss was detailed to the General Staff as Assistant Chief of Staff, Army until his promotion to Chief of Staff in 1917. On 17 November 1917 he was assigned as the American Permanent Military Representative, Supreme War Council, concurrent with the U.S. Army Chief of Staff position. General Bliss was forced to retire due to age limitations, 31 December 1917 but by order of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, was recalled to active duty on 1 January 1918. He was relieved as U.S. Army Chief of Staff in 1918 and returned to the grade of Brevet General. After the signing of the Armistice ending World War I, General Bliss also held the title of Plenipotentiary at the Paris Peace Conference. This assignment was concluded on 10 December 1919 and on 1 May 1920, Bliss was assigned as Governor of the U.S. Soldiers Home, Washington, D.C. He retired from active duty on 1 May 1927. He was reinstated as a full general, retired, on 21 June 1930 and died on 9 November 1930. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Note

Biography

General, U.S. Army; chief of staff, 1917; delegate, Paris Peace Conference, 1918-1919.