George C. Marshall

Lore & Background

As Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army from 1939 to 1945, Marshall worked with Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson to oversee the largest military expansion in U.S. history and coordinated Allied operations in Europe and the Pacific. He was promoted to five-star rank as General of the Army. After retiring from active service in 1945, he served as a special envoy to China in an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate a coalition government between Nationalists and Communists. As Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949, he advocated for the Marshall Plan, which led to his Nobel Peace Prize. He later served as Secretary of Defense during the Korean War, working to restore military confidence and morale.

Reader's Guide

George C. Marshall's significance lies in his dual role as a military organizer and a diplomat who shaped the post-World War II world. As Chief of Staff, he orchestrated the massive expansion and deployment of the U.S. Army, earning Winston Churchill's praise as the 'organizer of victory.' His transition to diplomacy as Secretary of State produced the Marshall Plan, a landmark economic aid program that helped rebuild Western Europe and counter Soviet influence, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize. His tenure as Secretary of Defense during the Korean War further demonstrated his steady leadership. Marshall's legacy is that of a figure who bridged military and civilian leadership, applying organizational skill to both war and peace. His refusal to resolve the Chinese Civil War and his later Cold War roles underscore the complexities of his career. He remains the only U.S. Army general to win the Nobel Peace Prize, a testament to his unique contributions.

Did You Know?

• Marshall was the only U.S. Army general ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which he received in 1953.
• He graduated first in his 1908 Army Staff College class and was top-ranked among five Honor Graduates of his Infantry-Cavalry School course in 1907.
• As a VMI cadet, he fainted during a hazing incident involving a bayonet but refused to inform on his classmates.
• Time magazine named Marshall its Man of the Year for both 1943 and 1947.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I would say—when the fighting is at its fiercest, it is invariably the Infantry that carries the ball over for the touchdown." — George C. Marshall "Speech to the Army ordinance Association (11 October 1939); The Papers of George Catlett Marshall Vol 2 (1986) by the George C. Marshall Foundation, Ch. 2 "The Time Factor" — George C. Marshall "I cannot afford the luxury of sentiment, mine must be cold logic." — George C. Marshall "Not one American soldier is going to die on that goddamned beach." — George C. Marshall