Transcript George C. Marshall

America’s Hero
• George Catlett
Marshall was born in
Uniontown
Pennsylvania in 1880.
• His parents were of
middleclass, highly
respected in the
community and
committed to the
Democratic Party.
1
The Early Years
• Very enterprising as a
young boy, engaging in
the sale of apples,
potatoes, vegetables &
root beer.
• Not a good student,
especially in math, reading
and spelling.
• However, he loved and
was good at history.
2
• Mr. Marshall (George
Senior) was very proud of
his heritage being a distant
cousin of Supreme Court
Justice John Marshall.
• He was a disciplinarian
and constantly working to
shape and teach his son.
• Mrs. Marshall (Laura
Bradford was a very
patient woman, whom
young George remained
close to.
3
• As the Industrial
Revolution came
about, bringing in new
jobs, machines and
products, people
began to take
advantage of this new
era.
• It was time for young
George to move on to
college.
4
The Virginia Military Institute
• Marshall attended
VMI.
• He did not apply for
West Point because his
grades were too low &
he had an injured right
elbow that would have
prevented him from
passing the physical.
5
• Further, the Marshalls
were strong
Democrats and the
Senators in
Pennsylvania at that
time were Republican.
• It would be difficult to
get an endorsement for
young George to
attend West Point.
• George’s older
brother, Stuart
attended VMI.
6
• He tried to discourage the family from sending George
to VMI.
• He felt his former bad grades would disgrace the
family.
• George realized this and was determined to succeed.
•He passed the entrance test and being the family were
solid citizens with a solid Virginia heritage, George was
easily accepted into VMI.
•On September 11, 1897, George Marshall arrived in
Lexington, Virginia to begin his college years at the
Virginia Military Institute.
7
The VMI Years.
• George became highly respected as a RAT. (Freshman,
means lowest form of life).
• George was a victim of hazing which caused an injury.
(bayonet incident)
• When treated for the injury, he would not reveal who
caused it.
• He felt that it was a matter of honor and loyalty not to
tell.
• Marshall really enjoyed military life at VMI.
8
• At first he struggled
academically.
• Later his grades improved.
• Basically he was an
average student.
• However, he was well
disciplined and was one of
only a few who had no
demerits on his record.
• He learned and accepted
the rules of military life.
9
• Marshall was accepted and highly respected by other
cadets for his fairness and honesty.
• He enjoyed the outdoors & competition.
• He was a member of the VMI football team and
enjoyed a fine season.
• He met his first wife at VMI, Elizabeth “Lily” Carter
Coles.
• Marshall wanted to join the military as an officer.
• He needed a letter from the War Department to get a
commission.
• The superintendent General Shipp of VMI wrote a letter
to President McKinley highly recommending Marshall.
10
• Marshall went to the
White House and
without an
appointment
confronted President
McKinley, and stated
his case for
appointment.
• Two months later,
Marshall’s name
appeared on the
examination selection
list.
11
The Young Officer
• On February 2, 1902,
George Marshall was
commissioned a
second lieutenant in
the U.S. Army.
• A week later he
married Lily Carter
Coles.
• Marshall was assigned
to the 30th Infantry
Division in the
Philippines.
12
• Marshall arrived at
Mindoro.
• It was after the
Spanish American
War.
• He saw no combat but
was in the middle of a
cholera epidemic that
took the lives of
100,000 Philipinos.
13
• Marshall was quick to
react preventing the
lose of American lives.
(Quarantine, boiling of
drinking water and
solid sanitation
requirements)
• He never bullied his
men and was careful
to control his temper.
• He respected his
troops.
14
• Marshall’s next
assignment was Fort
Reno, Oklahoma in
Cheyenne Indian country.
• In 1906, he attended the
Infantry and Cavalry
School in Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas.
• He finished number one in
his class.
• He later became an
instructor teaching
engineering and military
arts.
15
• In between session at
Leavenworth,
Marshall instructed the
National Guard.
• Here he sharpened his
military skills and
learned the value of
maneuvers.
• In 1913, Marshall was
reassigned to the
Philippines.
16
• Here he was instructed
by General J. Franklin
Bell to plan a practice
invasion of Luzon to
test the Army’s
defense systems
against attack.
• The Japanese had
become aggressive
and the U.S. was
maintaining a military
presence in the
Philippines.
17
• Bell was impressed by
Marshall’s
performance and
stated that Marshall
was the “greatest
potential wartime
leader in the army.”
• Later back in the states
Bell made him his
aide-de-camp.
18
The Great War
• On June 28, 1914,
Archduke Francis
Ferdinand, heir to the
Austro-Hungarian throne
was assassinated by a
Serbian in Sarajevo,
Bosnia.
• Two months later,
Austria-Hungary invaded
Serbia.
19
• Marshall was promoted to
Captain and returned to
duty at the Presidio in San
Francisco.
• As a result of the National
Defense Act (allowing
National Guard to be
drafted into active duty
and establishing reserves)
Marshall provided training
for these men.
20
• The war was waging
in Europe.
• Germany, AustriaHungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey made up the
Central powers.
• Great Britain, France,
Russia, Serbia and
Belgium were the
Allied Powers.
• At first, President
Wilson remained
neutral.
21
• The German sinking
of the British
passenger ship,
Lusitania, taking 128
American lives did not
encourage the U.S.
entry into the war.
• Wilson campaign
slogan of 1916 was,
“He kept us out of
war.”
• In April of 1917, the
U.S did enter WWI.
22
• Germany’s constant
submarine attacks on
U.S. merchant ships
resulting in many lose
of lives was a
violation of freedom
of the seas.
• Hostilities increased
against Kaiser
Wilhelm.
• Wilson wanted to
make the world “safe
for democracy.”
23
• The U.S. literally had
no Army to speak of.
• Wilson sent General
John J. Pershing to
Europe who scrambled
to put an army of
inexperienced draftees
together.
• General William
Sibert was the
commander of the
First Division under
Pershing.
24
• Sibert request General
Bell to release Marshall to
join him in training troops
for combat.
• Marshall was delighted
since it would enhance his
promotion potential.
• On June 26, 1917, the
First Infantry Division of
the American
Expeditionary Forces
(AEF) landed in France.
25
• Most of the troops
needed more training.
• The Allied officers
were upset over the
lack of American war
experience.
• The also did not agree
with Pershing who
wanted to fight
independently of their
French and British
troops.
26
• Pershing blamed
Sibert for the lack of
training of American
troops.
• Marshall, risking his
career, stood up to
“blackjack” Pershing
and said the blame
should be on
Pershing’s staff who
kept changing rules
and orders.
27
• Marshall requested troop
duty, but was denied.
• However, he was
instrumental in planning
an Allied counteroffensive
that would end the war.
• The Germans were
pushing towards France.
• Spearheaded by American
troops, the Germans were
stopped at the Second
Battle of the Marne.
28
• The tide of the war swung
to the Allies.
• Marshall planned the final
offensive at Saint Mihiel
and Meuse-Argonne
(Meuse River and
Argonne Forest).
• In two months U.S. troops
advanced 200 miles,
attacking and using more
ammunition than the
whole Union Army did in
four years of the civil War.
29
• Over one million U.S.
troops were involved
in this offensive which
finally resulted the
surrender of the
Central Powers on
November 11, 1918.
• Germany was forced
to admit guilt for the
war, pay reputations
and stripped of its
colonies.
30
• The severity of the
Treaty of Versailles,
and failure of the
League of Nations
eventually would lead
to social and economic
unrest in Europe.
• George Marshall
would not forget the
harsh effects of this
“peace”.
31
• In July 1921, President
Warren Harding
appointed General
Pershing Army Chief
of Staff.
• Marshall was his
assistant.
• In August George
Marshall was
promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel.
32
• In 1924 Pershing
retired and Marshall
requested troop duty.
• He needed to spend
more time with the
troops if he wanted to
be General.
• He was assigned to the
15th Infantry Division
in Tientsin, China to
protect American
citizens from Chinese
warlords.
33
• In 1927 Marshall returned
to the U.S. to lecture at the
U.S. Army War College.
• During this time his wife
Lily died which set him
into a painful state.
• He desperately needed a
new job.
• He was offered the
assistant commandant of
the Infantry at the Officers
School in Fort Benning,
GA.
34
• Marshall’s job was to
teach and prepare new
officers for leadership
positions.
• He used his experience
in World War I as a
basis of his
instruction.
• He emphasized the
development of simple
orders, freedom for
officers to be
innovative in combat
situations.
35
• And that the best army
would be a highly
mobile army.
• Marshall’s ability to
upgrade the efficiency
of the instruction at
• Fort Benning became
known as the
“Benning Revolution.”
3
6
36
• In 1929 he met Katherine
Tupper Brown at a dinner
party and married her a
year later.
• Marshall became the
stepfather of her three
children and they became
the family he never had.
• In 1932, Marshall was
assigned to an Infantry
post at Fort Screven, GA.
37
• In 1933 Marshall was
placed in command of
the entire regiment and
transferred to Fort
Moultrie, S.C. where
he was promoted to
full colonel.
• The U.S. was in the
middle of the Great
Depression.
38
• Even though the
military was better off
than the general
public, the enlisted
men had it rough.
• Marshall came to their
aid where he
personally supervised
the planting of
vegetables, and
building chicken yards
and hog pens.
39
• He introduced the
“lunch pail” system
whereby the mess hall
officer was to prepare
larger midday meals,
and sell them at lower
cost for the enlisted
men to take home.
• Marshall put as much
effort to the welfare of
his men as he did to
their military training.
40
• When FDR became
president in 1933, he
created the Civilian
Conservation Corps to
help fight the
depression.
• The Corps would
provide training and
jobs to out of work
men.
• The U.S. Army was
charged with its
oversight.
41
• Marshall became
deeply involved in the
CCC.
• He assisted in
providing medical
assistance, food and
provided lessons for
the illiterate.
• The work was
satisfying but would
not lead to promotion.
42
• In October of 1933,
Army Chief of Staff
Douglas MacArthur
appointed Marshall
senior instructor of the
Illinois National
Guard.
• He was initially
unhappy with this
assignment since it
took him away from
the regular army.
43
• He realized how
poorly trained these
men were and this
motivated him to
shape them up so they
could be prepared to
handle civic
emergencies.
• He demanded
smartness, promptness
and would not tolerate
a slackness in duty.
44
• Marshall knew that
while at the Guard, it
would hurt his chances
for promotion.
• His age was becoming
a factor, since one had
to be young enough to
serve for four years
before retirement age
of 64.
45
• He wrote to General
Pershing to encourage
the Secretary of War to
read his efficiency
reports which would
reveal his worthiness
for promotion.
• He was promoted to
Brigadier General in
1936.
• His next assignment
was the Fifth Brigade
of the Third Division.
46
• Marshall was assigned to
the Vancouver Barracks in
Washington State to assist
with the CCC camps.
• He enjoyed this
assignment and
implemented the same
programs as he did in Fort
Moultrie.
• In May 1938 he was
transferred to Washington
D.C. to head the War
Plans Division of the
General Staff.
47
• Trouble was brewing
in Europe.
• Mussolini and Hitler,
as a result of poor
economic and social
problems resulting
from the outcome of
WWI, were winning
support from the
people.
• Japan was also
expanding its power.
48
• Japan had an emperor,
Hirohito, and civilian
cabinet.
• However, the Army
officers had the real
power to make
decisions.
• The country lacked
natural resources and
invaded China and
other areas in
Southeast Asia for oil
and rubber.
49
• Hitler & Mussolini
convinced the French
and British to turn
over the Sudentenland,
a small region on the
Austrian-German
border.
• Hitler claimed it was
predominately
German & taken away
as a result of the
Treaty of Versailles.
50
• Neville Chamberlain
said it would bring
peace.
• Others called it
appeasement.
• FDR was concerned
with the events in
Europe and influenced
Congress to pass laws
forbidding the sale or
shipment of arms to
any country engaged
in war.
51
• Trade would be
limited to nonmilitary
items and paid for in
cash.
• Meanwhile Marshall
had been promoted to
deputy Chief of Staff.
• He was summoned to
the White House to
discuss FDR’s plan to
finance the building of
planes in case of war.
52
• Marshall did not agree
with FDR’s plan.
• It was imbalanced.
• FDR made no mention
about money for
troops, tanks, guns and
other essential war
materials.
• Marshall became
Chief of Staff on
September 1, 1939,
the same day Hitler
invaded Poland.
53
• Three days later France
and England declare war
on Germany.
• Marshall began preparing
the country for the
possibility of war.
• FDR revised the
Neutrality Acts.
• He allowed the Allies to
purchase war materials on
cash & carry basis.
54
• The German Blitzkrieg (a
tactic to crush the enemy
before they could rally
their defenses ‘lightning
war.’) resulted in the
conquering of Denmark,
Norway, Netherlands,
Belgium and
Luxembourg.
• Marshall went to FDR to
tell him the importance of
building up the military.
55
• The Germans pushed
through the French
Maginot Line and took
over Paris.
• British and French
troops (Miracle of
Dunkirk) evacuated.
• Finally, Congress
acted on Marshall’s
plan to build up the
military.
• Congressman began to
listen and respect him.
56
• Meanwhile Germany
continued to bomb
British factories and
airfields.
• The U.S. knew Britain
could not sustain these
attacks.
• Further they were out
of money to purchase
war material.
• FDR proposed the
lend lease policy
57
• The U.S. would
become the great
“arsenal of
democracy.”
• Germany broke its
pact and invaded
Russia in 1941.
• The Germans were
controlling the seas
and sinking U.S. ships
carrying war
materials.
58
• The American
Destroyer, Ruben
James was torpedoed
by a German U-boat
killing 115 sailors.
• The U.S. still did not
enter the war.
• With the war going on
in Europe, Japan
seized the opportunity
to expand its empire in
Asia.
59
• Because of Japanese
aggression, the U.S.
ended a commercial
treaty with Japan.
• Japan then moved into
Laos, Cambodia and
Vietnam.
• The U.S. threatened to
freeze Japan’s U.S.
assets & block
shipments or iron,
steel and other natural
resources.
60
• Japan did not respond
to U.S. threats.
• The Netherlands East
Indies, Japan’s chief
oil supplier froze
Japanese assets.
• Japanese Prime
Minister, Konoye
wanted to meet with
FDR & Secretary of
State Cordell Hull.
61
• Japan refused to get out of
China.
• FDR would not meet with
Konoye.
• General Hideki Tojo
replaced Konoye.
• Diplomatic relations with
Japan broke off.
• Marshall was aware of a
pending attack in the
Pacific as a result of
breaking a Japanese
diplomatic code.
62
• On December 7, 1941, at
7:55 a.m. the Japanese
invaded Pearl Harbor.
• Early that morning
decoded messages made it
clear that diplomatic
relations had been broken
with Japan.
• Marshall forwarded the
message to the
Philippines, Hawaii and
Panama.
• Unfortunately through
miscommunications, it
arrived too late.
63
• The Japanese sunk or
badly damaged 18 U.S.
ships.
• 2,388 U.S. sailors,
marines and soldiers were
killed.
• 68 civilians also died.
• Many U.S. airplanes
housed at Pearl were also
destroyed.
• Fortunately, 7 cruisers and
the Pacific fleet aircraft
carriers were out to sea.
64
• On December 8th, FDR
addressed the nation,
“Yesterday, December 7,
1941, a date that will live
in infamy, the United
States of America was
suddenly and deliberately
attacked by naval and air
forces of the Empire of
Japan.”
• War was declared on
Japan.
• In response,Germany &
Italy declared war on the
United States.
65
• Japan subsequently
attacked the
Philippines, Guam,
Wake Island, Hong
Kong, Burma and the
Dutch East Indies.
• Army Chief of Staff
George Marshall faced
a two-front war.
• Marshall’s most
immediate problem
was to get supplies to
General MacArthur.
66
• MacArthur had been
holding the
Philippines.
• It was a difficult task,
getting supplies
through because of the
Japanese ships.
• MacArthur was
basically on his own.
• Marshall ordered him
to escape to Australia.
67
• MacArthur left promising
that “I shall return.”
• General Jonathan
Wainwright was left to
defend the peninsula.
• On May 7, 1942, he
surrendered to the
Japanese and 75 thousand
American prisoners were
marched to prison camps.
(Bataan Death March)
68
• Back in Washington,
Marshall worked with
Secretary of War
Henry L. Stimson to
plan war operations on
two fronts.
• Throughout the war,
Marshall was totally
involved with solving
the many problems.
• He was responsible for
the operation of the
alliance with Britain.
69
• He later had much
input into the Allied
victory at Normandy.
• He participated in 11
international
conferences and met
with Churchill &
Stalin.
• He participated in the
Arcadia Conference in
Washington with FDR
& Churchill.
70
• This conference was
Churchill’s attempt to
ensure that the U.S. was
committed to “Europe
First” strategy in fighting
the war.
• Marshall agreed &
planned to turn America
into an arsenal for the
Allies.
• His plan was to recruit,
train & equip millions of
men and women.
71
• He talked to
industrialists to
convert their industries
to wartime production.
I.e. make uniforms
instead of suits &
tanks instead of
automobiles.
• He dismissed older
officers who were not
up to the task ahead
and replaced them
with younger more
energetic officers.
72
• One of his major tasks
was to stop the
competition between
the armed forces and
have them work with
each other.
• In March of 1942 he
coordinated the
consolidation of the
allied armies to
establish a mighty
force to deliver a
single blow against the
Germans.
73
• His plan was to cross
the English Channel &
invade France.
• Once on the
beachhead, the Allies
could begin the
process of liberating
France and the rest of
Western Europe.
• With this
accomplished, he
could concentrate on
the war in the Pacific.
74
• FDR approved the
plan & Marshall went
to London and met
with Churchill.
• Churchill also
supported the plan.
• Meanwhile, Marshall
was getting some good
news regarding the
war in the Pacific.
75
• Midway Island was
still held by U.S.
forces.
• The Japanese planned
to destroy the three
aircraft carriers that
were out to sea during
the Pearl Harbor
attack.
• Fortunately, MAGIC
code-breakers learned
of this plan.
76
• The U.S. lost one
carrier, however, they
sank four Japanese
carriers.
• The battle proved to
be the turning point in
the Pacific.
• The Japanese would
strike no more knock
out blows from this
point on.
77
• Churchill wanted to
relieve British forces
fighting in Africa.
• British had contained
Italian forces and
pushed them back
deep into Libya.
• Hitler sent Field
Marshal Erwin
Rommel’s “Africa
Korps” as
reinforcements.
78
• Marshall did not agree
with the plan, but
obeyed orders and sent
General Dwight D.
Eisenhower to take
command of the
invasion in Africa.
(Operation Torch)
• The British were
commanded by Field
Marshal Bernard
Montgomery.
79
• The Germans inflicted
a serious defeat at
Kasserine Pass in
Tunisia.
• It was General George
Patton who mounted a
counteroffensive
which eventually led
to driving the
Germans out of Africa.
80
• The beginning of
1943, the tide of the
war was turning.
• In addition to the
victories at Midway
and Africa, the
Russians defeated the
Germans at Stalingrad.
• Marshall now was
concerned with the
delay of the crosschannel invasion.
81
• Marshall was concerned
that with the Russian
victory at Stalingrad,
Stalin would sign a
separate peace agreement
with Germany.
• This would allow the
Germans to fight on only
one front.
• In 1943, with the support
of FDR and the Joint
Chiefs, Marshall again
presented his plan.
82
• At the Trident Conference,
it was agreed by U.S. and
Britain that Operation
Overlord would take place
around May 1, 1944.
• Stalin also agreed.
• The three-point plan
involved the invasion of
Normandy, a press to get
the Germans out of Rome
and the landing of troops
in southern France to
support the invasion of
Europe.
83
• Dwight D. Eisenhower
was appointed the
Supreme Allied
Commander in Europe
and would spearhead
Operation Overlord.
• Marshall truly wanted
this assignment, but he
was vitally needed
make in Washington to
oversee operations.
• FDR felt comfortable
having Marshall close
to him.
84
• On June 6, 1944, the
largest invasion in
history began.
• By nightfall, 175,000
allied troops landed on
the beaches of
Normandy.
• It was a brutal battle,
the Allies losing 9,500
men on the first day.
• The Russian attacked
from the east into
Poland and Finland.
85
• The Germans had over
one half million casualties
and lost 2,000 tanks.
• The Allies kept advancing
from Normandy.
• They were momentarily
stopped at the Ardennes
Forest in Belgium(Battle
of the Bulge, the last
German offensive of the
war).
86
• The Allies crossed the
Rhine River & stepped
onto German soil in
Remagen.
• On April 30, 1945,
Hitler committed
suicide and on May
7th, Germany
surrendered.
• The war in Europe
was over.
87
• On April 12, 1945
FDR died of a cerebral
hemorrhage in Warm
Springs, Georgia.
• Harry Truman took
over the presidency.
• Meanwhile the war in
the Pacific was
continuing.
• Admiral Chester
Nimitz won a series of
victories in the
Marshall Islands.
88
• The Japanese were
starting to feel the
crippling effects of the
American submarines
that were hurting
Japanese shipping.
• The Japanese
economy was being
crippled.
• In October, MacArthur
was back in the
Philippines.
89
• In the Battle of Leyte
Gulf, the Americans
destroyed Japan’s
ability to continue a
naval war.
• Yet the Japanese were
not about to give up.
• In February the
marines gained Iwo
Jima, costing them
26,000 casualties.
• Okinawa was captured
in June resulting in
many more casualties.
90
• The U.S. knew that
many more casualties
would occur if they
attacked Japan.
• The Japanese were not
agreeable to
unconditional
surrender whereby
their emperor would
not be recognized.
• Marshall did not want
Russia to participate in
the Asian War.
91
• He was afraid that Russia
would be looking for
political control of Asian
lands.
• At the Potsdam
Conference in July of
1945, Truman learned that
the Atomic bomb had been
successful tested.
(Manhattan Project)
• Marshall & Stimson were
in favor of using the
bomb.
92
• Truman warned Japan
(Potsdam Ultimatum)
that unless they
unconditionally
surrendered, Japan
would face “complete
and utter destruction.”
• The Japanese ignored
the warning.
• It was subsequently
decided to drop the
bomb.
93
• On August 6, 1945 the
first bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima
leaving 100,000
people dead.
• Shortly after dropping
the bomb, the
Pentagon warning the
Japanese to accept the
terms of surrender or
face a “rain of ruin”
from the air.
• It did not come.
94
• On August 9th a
second bomb was
dropped on Nagasaki
which killed another
40,000 Japanese.
• On September 2,
1945, General
Douglas McArthur
accepted the surrender
of the Japanese
government on the
U.S.S. Missouri.
• The war was over.
95
• Marshall and his wife
Katherine headed for
Dodona Manor for
retirement.
• She had purchased
Dodona while
Marshall was in
London negotiating
the cross-channel
initiative with
Churchill.
• Marshall was released
from military duty.
96
• Truman called him
“the greatest military
man the nation ever
produced.”
• Marshall’s retirement
was short lived.
• Truman called him to
be a special envoy to
China to negotiate a
settlement between
China’s two warring
forces.
97
• In December 1945
Congress was
investigating why the
Japanese had succeeded in
their attack on Pearl
Harbor.
• Marshall testified for two
weeks.
• Two senators tried to link
FDR and Marshall to a
plot knowing that Pearl
Harbor would be attacked
so that the U.S. could
enter the war.
98
• Congress cleared all
and said the failure in
the communications
was an error in
judgment, not gross
neglect of duty.
• The War Plans
Division was
reprimanded for
failing to see the
significance of the
MAGIC intercepts.
99
• On December 20,
1945 Marshall arrived
in Shanghai, China.
• A great vacuum
existed since Japan
had been defeated.
• Truman was worried
that the Soviets would
move in to take
control.
• The U.S. supported
the Nationalist Party
of Chiang Kaishek.
100
• Mao Tse-tung was the
leader of the Chinese
Communist Party &
Chaing’s rival.
• Marshall tried to build
a coalition for a new
government.
• Marshall was not
successful and China
fell to communism
and Mao Tse-tung.
101
• In June of 1946,
Truman asked
Marshall to become
Secretary of State.
• He accepted and
focused on rebuilding
Europe.
• Soviet expansion was
becoming dangerous.
• The Truman Doctrine
was instituted to
prevent the expansion
of communism.
102
• Marshall was
convinced that
Germany had to be
rebuilt along
democratic lines and
the process must
include political and
economic freedom.
• He believed that a
weak, starving Europe
was what Stalin
wanted.
103
• In December of 1947,
Truman sent a 17 billion
dollar measure for the
European Recovery Plan
(ERP) to Congress for
approval.
• Marshall testified before
Congress and appealed to
the public. Some in
Congress wanted to
remain isolationists &
others wanted a balanced
budget, reduced taxes &
not pouring money into
Europe.
104
• Marshall told America
that if Europe’s
economy was not
healthy, America’s
would not be healthy.
• Europe’s recovery
would be made
through the purchase
of American farm
products.
• He appealed to the
humanity of the plan.
105
• The European Recovery
Plan became law in April
of 1948.
• The Soviets would
complicate Europe’s
orderly transition into a
peacetime world.
• The U.S. Britain, and
France decided to unify
their divided regions of
Germany.
• Stalin found this to be a
threat and ordered the
Berlin Blockade.
106
• The blockade would
cut off supply lines
into the allied
occupied zone.
• Marshall & Truman
responded with an
airlift (Operation
Vittles) whereby tons
of food, fuel and
supplies were dropped
into West Berlin.
• The Soviets removed
the barriers.
107
• In 1948 with Marshall’s
strong support, the Allies
created a defensive pact
called the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization
(NATO).
• Also, Palestine was
partitioned creating the
Jewish state of Israel.
• Marshall did not agree
with this since he believed
Arab opposition would
lead to much bloodshed.
108
• Truman was in favor of
creating Israel.
• The Jewish people in the
states threatened not to
support him in the
upcoming election if he
did not recognize Israel.
• Truman won an upset
victory over Thomas
Dewey in 1948.
• He recognized the state of
Israel immediately.
109
• The Marshalls again
retired to Dodona
Mansion in Leesburg.
• In March of 1949 visited
the Marshalls and asked
him if he would be
president of the Red
Cross.
• Marshall accepted and
handled this job with the
typical zeal that he had
demonstrated in all
previous assignments.
110
• Meanwhile Korea,
which was supposedly
temporarily divided
after WWII, at the 38th
parallel until elections
could be held began to
have problems.
• The Soviets were
against unification.
• On June 25, 1950, the
North Koreans
attacked South Korea.
111
• The UN labeled North
Korea the aggressor &
called for military
action.
• General MacArthur
was ordered to
command U.S., UN &
South Korean forces.
• Truman summoned
Marshall back to
Washington as
Secretary of Defense.
112
• The National Security Act
of 1947 prevented an
officer who had been on
active duty with the past
10 years from becoming
Secretary of Defense.
• The National Security Act
was amended and
Marshall was confirmed.
• Marshall biggest task was
to mobilize an army.
113
• Once again Marshall,
drawing on past
experience, built an army
into a fighting force.
• The draft was extended,
the age for draft was
lowered and active duty
was increased to two
years.
• The North Koreans had
pushed the South Koreans
almost to the southern tip
of the peninsula.
114
• MacArthur landed at
Inchon, behind enemy
lines, while UN forces
pushed up from the
south from Pusan.
• The North Koreans
were pushed back past
the 38th parallel.
• Many government
officials wanted Korea
to return to the policy
of reunifying Korea.
• Marshall agreed.
115
• In order to accomplish
this, MacArthur had to
go North of the 38th
Parallel.
• MacArthur was
warned not to cross
the Yalu River, or take
any action against the
Chinese or Soviets.
• MacArthur’ forces
took the North Korean
capital & was close to
the Chinese border.
116
• The fact that the UN
troops were so close to the
border worried Truman.
• General Omar Bradley,
Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs & Truman went to
Wake Island & met with
MacArthur.
• MacArthur was optimistic
& said opposition from
North Korea would be
over by Thanksgiving.
117
• MacArthur told Truman
that American troops
would be home by
Christmas, and the
Chinese would not cross
the border into Korea.
• In spite of his confidence,
on November 25, 1950,
U.S. troops were brutally
attacked in the mountains
of North Korea by
300,000 well-trained
Chinese communists.
118
• The U.S. could not
risk the possibility of
war with China.
• Military leaders,
including Marshall
concluded that they
must rethink the
policy of reunification
of Korea.
• MacArthur wanted to
launch a major
counteroffensive.
119
• MacArthur continued to act as if unification of
Korea was the goal of the U.S.
• He protested to the Joint Chiefs.
• He insulted the Red Chinese, calling them militarily
weak.
• President Truman became angry since he was
attempting to arrange peace talks with the Chinese to
resolve the Korean issue.
• Marshall met with the Joint Chiefs, and
recommended that MacArthur be relieved of his
command.
• On April 10, 1951, President Truman fired
MacArthur.
120
• Truman was highly
criticized.
• MacArthur returned home
to a huge welcome with a
ticker-tape parade in New
York City.
• He gave an address to
Congress and was given a
thunderous applause.
• Marshall testified that
MacArthur had
overstepped his orders.
121
• Meanwhile the
Republicans continued
to attack the
Democratic party.
• Senator Joseph
McCarthy accused
Marshall of treason.
• Many congressmen,
military men &
journalist defended
Marshall.
• On September 12,
1951 Marshall retired.
122
• Marshall & his wife
returned to Dodona.
• He took on some nontaxing jobs such as
chairman of the American
Battle Monuments
Commission.
• The Marshall’s were
invited to Eisenhower’s
inauguration and included
in many White House
dinners.
123
• In October of 1953,
Marshall learned that
he would receive the
Nobel prize for Peace
for his sponsorship of
the European
Recovery Plan.
• He was the first
professional soldier to
receive this prize.
• By 1958, Marshall’s
health was failing.
124
• Not long after his 78th
birthday, Marshall had a
stroke and shortly
thereafter another.
• He was visited at Walter
Reed Hospital by
Eisenhower, Truman and
even Winston Churchill.
• Marshall died on October
16, 1959, just shy of his
79th birthday. He is buried
at Arlington National
Cemetery.
125