Haig was a ruthless man who never lost his military demeanour. He believed in the muscular Âprojection of American power abroad, and a Âcommitment to conservative politics at home. His most high-profile job was as Nixon's chief of staff, where he succeeded Bob Haldeman, who had resigned in April 1973 under pressure from the Watergate prosecutors.
During those tumultuous years, with Nixon clinging to power, Haig's influence grew as other senior leaders, and the president, became distracted. In the end he played a vital role in persuading Nixon to resign â even though earlier he had controversially tried to suppress moves to force the president from office.
At one stage Haig was responsible for ordering the removal of Nixon's tranquillisers, and denying his requests for pills, after the president had mentioned suicide. During that period Haig was probably at his most powerful, but his fate was to see Gerald Ford, the vice-president, take over. Under Reagan, he became secretary of state. After Reagan was shot during an assassination attempt in 1981, an incident unfolded that revealed the extent of his ambition, and damaged his reputation.
As the president lay stricken in hospital, Haig effectively declared himself the acting president to members of the cabinet â despite not being next-in-line. He then appeared on television, telling a concerned nation: "I am in control here, in the White House." Haig's actions left a sour taste in the mouth for many colleagues and the public, something he later came to understand. One of his biographers once said that Haig knew the third paragraph of his obituary would mention the incident.
He was wrong. But only just. In the New York Times online obituary yesterday, it was in the second paragraph.