Charles (Chip) Bohlen, the son of the banker, Charles Bohlen, was born in Clayton, New York, on 30th August, 1904. Bohlen grew up in Aiken, South Carolina and Ipswich, Massachusetts. After graduating with a history degree from Harvard University he became a government official. During the Second World War he worked as a interpreter in negotiations with the Soviet Union.

Bohlen moved to Washington where he associated with George Kennan, Richard Bissell, Desmond FitzGerald, Joseph Alsop, Tracy Barnes, Philip Graham, Katharine Graham, David Bruce, Clark Clifford, Walt Rostow, Eugene Rostow, Frank Wisner and Paul Nitze. This group became known as the Georgetown Crowd.

In 1953 President Dwight Eisenhower appointed Bohlen as ambassador to the Soviet Union. This was followed by the post as ambassador to the Philippines (1957-1959). After arriving back in the United States in 1957 he became special assistant to the secretary of state for Soviet affairs. Bohlen was also ambassador to France (1962-1968).

Charles (Chip) Bohlen died in Washington on 31st December, 1973.