Final answer:
The correct answer is b. Henry Stimson's cabinet position before it was eliminated in 1947 was Secretary of War. This position was key during World War II and was one of the original cabinet roles that transitioned to the Secretary of Defense role after the war.
Step-by-step explanation:
Henry Stimson's cabinet position before it ceased to exist in 1947 was secretary of War. After this position was dissolved, the role transitioned into what we now recognize as the Secretary of Defense, overseeing the Department of Defense. However, during Stimson's tenure, he served as the head of the War Department, which was responsible for the administration of the United States Army and overseeing various wartime activities.
His role was crucial during a significant period that encompassed the end of World War II. Stimson was well-regarded for his ability to manage the war effort and his involvement in momentous decisions, including those related to the use of the atomic bomb on Japan to bring a swifter end to the war. The Secretary of War position was one of the original cabinet positions; earlier figures include Henry Knox under President George Washington and William Belknap who was implicated in a bribery scandal during Ulysses S. Grant's administration.