Everything about George Marshall totally explained
In December 1945, Truman sent Marshall to
China to broker a coalition government between the
Communists under
Mao Zedong and America's
Nationalist allies under
Chiang Kai-shek. Marshall had no leverage over the Communists, but threatened to withdraw American aid essential to the Nationalists. Both sides rejected his proposals and the
Chinese Civil War escalated, with the Communists winning in 1948. His mission a failure, he returned to the United States in January of 1947. As Secretary of State in 1947-48, Marshall seems to have disagreed with strong opinions in
The Pentagon and State department that Chiang's success was vital to American interests, insisting that U.S. troops not become involved.
On his return in early 1947, Truman appointed Marshall
Secretary of State. He became the spokesman for the State Department's ambitious plans to rebuild Europe. On
June 5 1947 in a speech
(External Link
) at
Harvard University, he outlined the American plan. The European Recovery Program, as it was formally known, became known as the
Marshall Plan.
Clark Clifford had suggested to Truman that the plan be called the Truman Plan, but Truman immediately dismissed that idea and insisted that it be called the Marshall Plan. The Marshall plan would help Europe quickly rebuild and modernize its economy along American lines. The
Soviet Union forbade its
satellites to participate.
Marshall was again named
TIME's Man of the Year in 1948, and received the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. As Secretary of State, Marshall strongly opposed recognizing the State of
Israel, telling President Truman, "If you (recognize the state of Israel) and if I were to vote in the election, I'd vote against you."
(External Link)(External Link) In 1949, he resigned from the
State Department and was named president of the
American National Red Cross.
Secretary of Defense; attacked by McCarthy
When the early months of the
Korean War showed how poorly prepared the Defense Department was, Truman fired Secretary
Louis A. Johnson and named Marshall as
Secretary of Defense in September 1950. His main role was to restore confidence. He served in that post for less than one year, retiring from politics for good in September 1951. In 1953, he represented America at the
coronation of Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
On June 14, 1951, as the Korean war stalemated in heavy fighting between American and Chinese forces, Republican Senator
Joe McCarthy attacked. He charged that Marshall was directly responsible for the "loss of China," as China turned from friend to enemy. McCarthy said the only way to explain why the U.S. "fell from our position as the most powerful Nation on earth at the end of World War II to a position of declared weakness by our leadership" was because of "a conspiracy so immense and an infamy so black as to dwarf any previous such venture in the history of man." McCarthy said that "If Marshall were merely stupid, the laws of probability would dictate that part of his decisions would serve this country's interest." McCarthy argued that General
Albert Coady Wedemeyer had prepared a wise plan that would keep China a valued ally, but that it had been sabotaged; "only in treason can we find why evil genius thwarted and frustrated it." McCarthy suggested that Marshall was old and feeble and easily duped; he didn't charge Marshall with treason. Specifically McCarthy alleged:
Marshall died on Friday
October 16 1959. He is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery.
Family life
He married
Elizabeth Carter Cole of
Lexington, Virginia, in 1902. She died in 1927. In 1930, he married
Katherine Boyce Tupper. George Marshall maintained a home, known as
Dodona Manor (now restored), in
Leesburg, Virginia.
Dates of rank
| No pin insignia in 1902 |
Second Lieutenant, United States Army: February 2, 1902 |
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First Lieutenant, United States Army: March 7, 1907 |
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Captain, United States Army: July 1, 1916 |
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Major, National Army: August 5, 1917 |
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Lieutenant Colonel, National Army: January 5, 1918 |
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Colonel, National Army: August 27, 1918 |
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Major, Regular Army (reverted to peacetime rank): July 1, 1920 |
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Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army: August 21, 1923 |
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Colonel, Regular Army: September 1, 1933 |
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Brigadier General, Regular Army: October 1, 1936 |
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Major General, Regular Army: September 1, 1939 |
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General, Regular Army, for service as Army Chief of Staff: September 1, 1939 |
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General of the Army, Army of the United States: December 16, 1944 |
| General of the Army rank made permanent in the Regular Army: April 11, 1946 |
Awards and decorations
U.S. military honors
Foreign military honors
Civilian honors
In 1948, he was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award for his role and contributions during and after World War II.
Nobel Peace Prize 1953 for the Marshall Plan
1959 Karlspreis (International Charlemagne Prize of the city of Aachen)
The British Parliament established the Marshall Scholarship in recognition of Marshall's contributions to Anglo-American relations.
Many building and streets throughout the U.S. and other nations are named in his honor.
George C. Marshall Award, the highest award given to a chapter in Kappa Alpha Order
George C. Marshall High School, founded in 1962 and located in Falls Church, Virginia, is the only public school in the United States named for Marshall. The nickname of the school -- "The Statesmen" -- appropriately reflects his life and contributions.
Bibliography
Cray, Ed. General of the Army: George C. Marshall, Soldier and Statesman. Norton, 1990. 847 pp.
Harold I. Gullan; "Expectations of Infamy: Roosevelt and Marshall Prepare for War, 1938-41." Presidential Studies Quarterly Volume: 28#3 1998. pp 510+ online edition
May, Ernest R. "1947-48: When Marshall Kept the U.S. out of War in China." Journal of Military History 2002 66(4): 1001-1010. Issn: 0899-3718 Fulltext: in Swetswise and in Jstor
Levine, Steven I. "A New Look at American Mediation in the Chinese Civil War: the Marshall Mission and Manchuria." Diplomatic History 1979 3(4): 349-375. Issn: 0145-2096
Parrish, Thomas. Roosevelt and Marshall: Partners in Politics and War. 1989. 608 pp.
Steele, Richard W. The First Offensive, 1942: Roosevelt, Marshall, and the Making of American Strategy. 1973. 239 pp.
Mark C. Stoler, George C. Marshall: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century. (1989) 252pp
Forrest Pogue, Viking, (1963–87) Four-volume authorized biography: complete text is online
Further Information
Get more info on 'George Marshall'.
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