Tom Watson: The World's Most Internationally Honored Businessman
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Date Published: January 1, 2024
Date Modified: June 29, 2025 |
Insights into Thomas J. Watson Sr., Traditional Founder of IBM from
"THINK Again!: 20th Century Ideas and High Ideals for the 21st Century"
"THINK Again!: 20th Century Ideas and High Ideals for the 21st Century"
Tom Watson is the most highly recognized businessman in the world. From 1937 through 1955, Thomas J. Watson Sr. received over forty international decorations from twenty-nine countries including the following: 1. Belgium, 2. Bolivia, 3. Brazil, 4. Britain, 5. Cambodia, 6. Chile (highest civilian award), 7. China, 8. Cuba, 9. Denmark, 10. Dominican Republic, 11. Ecuador (2 awards), 12. Finland, 13. Germany (returned: June 1940), 14. Greece (3 awards), 15. Hungary, 16. Italy (highest civilian award), 17. Mexico, 18. Paraguay, 19. Peru (highest civilian award), 20. Peru (City of Lima), 21. Portugal, 22. Republic of Haiti, 23. Republic of Panama, 24. Sweden, 25. United States (highest civilian award), 26. United States (Yeshiva University), 27. United States (4+ awards), 28. Venezuela, 29. Yugoslavia.
See the footnote below for some excerpts about Tom Watson's character highlighted in these awards. This is a partial list excluding many he received in the United States from other various organizations.
See the footnote below for some excerpts about Tom Watson's character highlighted in these awards. This is a partial list excluding many he received in the United States from other various organizations.
The International Community Recognized Tom Watson as an Exemplary Man
(1937 through 1943)
(1937 through 1943)
The New York Times wrote of Tom Watson in 1956 that “for some men honors are tardily bestowed. This was not the case with Thomas J. Watson, for the world had long felt and expressed its warm appreciation.”
Too many times society misses the opportunity to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of our most exemplary leaders as we delay too long in the declaration; or we have great individuals taken from us too soon; or we allow cynics to distort facts—after their deaths, which denies such individuals their proper standing in history. This is a great loss for society—and for our children and grandchildren, as we lose great male and outstanding female role models for generations to come. It is difficult, but history can capture and reveal those with true character while also being realistic about an individual’s very-human, yet acceptable, flaws and shortcomings.
Tom Watson’s life story has been subjected to calumny—the act of misrepresenting an individual’s actions in such a way as to harm their reputation. To confront one such claim, here are a few of the honors bestowed on him. This list starts with the first—and the single medal—that is too often over-emphasized: The Merit Cross of the German Eagle with Star. After receiving this award, Tom Watson spent four months in Europe as the head of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). He visited the European capitals of Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Rome, Belgrade, Sofia, The Hague, and Brussels, delivering his message of “World Peace through World Trade.” In recognition of his two-year leadership of the ICC, he received ten additional awards. This more factually-complete list puts into a non-calumnious perspective the one award that Tom Watson—singularly and quite publicly, returned to its fascist owner.
Plato was quoted in the introduction: “When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.” Plato, known for picking his words carefully, chose the word “when” not “if.” Hopefully, this list will convince the reader that Tom Watson lived his life so that they may, in turn, rightfully question those who write ill of him.
This is a partial list of Thomas J. Watson Sr.'s international awards that few other 20th Century figures have matched. *
Too many times society misses the opportunity to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of our most exemplary leaders as we delay too long in the declaration; or we have great individuals taken from us too soon; or we allow cynics to distort facts—after their deaths, which denies such individuals their proper standing in history. This is a great loss for society—and for our children and grandchildren, as we lose great male and outstanding female role models for generations to come. It is difficult, but history can capture and reveal those with true character while also being realistic about an individual’s very-human, yet acceptable, flaws and shortcomings.
Tom Watson’s life story has been subjected to calumny—the act of misrepresenting an individual’s actions in such a way as to harm their reputation. To confront one such claim, here are a few of the honors bestowed on him. This list starts with the first—and the single medal—that is too often over-emphasized: The Merit Cross of the German Eagle with Star. After receiving this award, Tom Watson spent four months in Europe as the head of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). He visited the European capitals of Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Rome, Belgrade, Sofia, The Hague, and Brussels, delivering his message of “World Peace through World Trade.” In recognition of his two-year leadership of the ICC, he received ten additional awards. This more factually-complete list puts into a non-calumnious perspective the one award that Tom Watson—singularly and quite publicly, returned to its fascist owner.
Plato was quoted in the introduction: “When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.” Plato, known for picking his words carefully, chose the word “when” not “if.” Hopefully, this list will convince the reader that Tom Watson lived his life so that they may, in turn, rightfully question those who write ill of him.
This is a partial list of Thomas J. Watson Sr.'s international awards that few other 20th Century figures have matched. *
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Award
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| This list is continued below to cover: 1944 through 1955 |
The International Community Recognized Tom Watson as an Exemplary Man
(1944 through 1955)
(1944 through 1955)
| This list is continued from the list above which covers: 1937 through 1943 |
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Award
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Country
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* Tom Watson received over forty decorations from twenty-nine countries. The following are a few of the expressions of appreciation from these awards: (1) “to reward a good friend of our country [Dominican Republic] and acknowledgement of your noble endeavors in behalf of Pan-Americanism—the political gospel of the New World;” (2) “to express the high esteem of the Government of Haiti for the service which you have rendered;” (3) “The people of Athens vote and proclaim as a token of honor and gratitude Thomas J. Watson as Honorary Citizen of Athens [other Honorary Citizens included Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and David Lloyd George] for his valuable and excellent services which he offered to the Greek Nation;” (4) “in recognition of Mr. Watson’s efforts in promoting cooperation and good relations between Chile and the U.S.;” (5) the Salvation Army for his “devotion to the cause of peace, his support of education, and his unwavering adherence to spiritual ideals and moral principles, in bringing to the people of all nations recognition of the essential dignity of man;” (6) to recognize both Mr. and Mrs. Watson as “longtime friends of the Greek people;” and (7) for “furthering international good fellowship and understanding, not only in South America [Peru] but the whole world.”
* Tom Watson received over forty decorations from twenty-nine countries. The following are a few of the expressions of appreciation from these awards: (1) “to reward a good friend of our country [Dominican Republic] and acknowledgement of your noble endeavors in behalf of Pan-Americanism—the political gospel of the New World;” (2) “to express the high esteem of the Government of Haiti for the service which you have rendered;” (3) “The people of Athens vote and proclaim as a token of honor and gratitude Thomas J. Watson as Honorary Citizen of Athens [other Honorary Citizens included Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and David Lloyd George] for his valuable and excellent services which he offered to the Greek Nation;” (4) “in recognition of Mr. Watson’s efforts in promoting cooperation and good relations between Chile and the U.S.;” (5) the Salvation Army for his “devotion to the cause of peace, his support of education, and his unwavering adherence to spiritual ideals and moral principles, in bringing to the people of all nations recognition of the essential dignity of man;” (6) to recognize both Mr. and Mrs. Watson as “longtime friends of the Greek people;” and (7) for “furthering international good fellowship and understanding, not only in South America [Peru] but the whole world.”
