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==World War II==

==World War II==

As Chief of Staff (1939-45) he was America's top-ranking soldier during World War II. He built and directed the largest army in American history. On September 1, 1939, he was promoted to Chief of Staff with the rank of General, and he was named General of the Army on December 16, 1944.  

As Chief of Staff (1939–45) he was America's top-ranking soldier during World War II. He built and directed the largest army in American history. On September 1, 1939, he was promoted to Chief of Staff with the rank of General, and he was named General of the Army on December 16, 1944.  

[[Image:Marshall42.jpg|thumb|280px|''Time'' Oct 19, 1942]]

[[Image:Marshall42.jpg|thumb|280px|''Time'' Oct 19, 1942]]

===Strategy against Japan===

===Strategy against Japan===

Marshall, who had charge of the Air Force, explained American strategy three weeks before Pearl Harbor:<ref>

Marshall, who had charge of the Air Force, explained American strategy three weeks before Pearl Harbor:<ref>

Robert L. Sherrod "Memorandum for David W. Hulburd, Jr." November 15, 1941.   

Robert L. Sherrod "Memorandum for David W. Hulburd, Jr." November 15, 1941.   

  ''The Papers of George Catlett Marshall, ed. Larry I. Bland et al. vol. 2, ''We Cannot Delay, July 1, 1939-December 6, 1941'' (1986), #2-602 pp. 676-681. [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0themarsh--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=themarsh&cl=CL2.2&d=HASHa5a59dba9dbe679bec58d0 online version].  Marshall made the statement to a secret press conference. </ref>

  ''The Papers of George Catlett Marshall, ed. Larry I. Bland et al. vol. 2, ''We Cannot Delay, July 1, 1939-December 6, 1941'' (1986), #2-602 pp. 676-681. [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0themarsh--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=themarsh&cl=CL2.2&d=HASHa5a59dba9dbe679bec58d0 online version].  Marshall made the statement to a secret press conference.</ref>

:"We are preparing for an offensive war against Japan, whereas the Japs believe we are preparing only to defend the Philippines. ...We have 35 Flying Fortresses already there—the largest concentration anywhere in the world. Twenty more will be added next month, and 60 more in January....If war with the Japanese does come, we'll fight mercilessly. Flying fortresses will be dispatched immediately to set the paper cities of Japan on fire. There wont be any hesitation about bombing civilians—it will be all-out."

:"We are preparing for an offensive war against Japan, whereas the Japs believe we are preparing only to defend the Philippines. ...We have 35 Flying Fortresses already there—the largest concentration anywhere in the world. Twenty more will be added next month, and 60 more in January....If war with the Japanese does come, we'll fight mercilessly. Flying fortresses will be dispatched immediately to set the paper cities of Japan on fire. There wont be any hesitation about bombing civilians—it will be all-out."

==China==

==China==

===China===

===China===

In 1945-47 Marshall was sent to China to see what should be done to avert a civil war, with the long-term goal of establishing a stable, democratic China that was friendly to the U.S.  The mission failed because [[Mao Zedong]] believed America represented the capitalist enemy of Communism.<ref>He Di, "Mao Zedong and the Marshall Mission," in  Larry I. Bland, et al. eds. ''George C. Marshall's Mediation Mission to China, December 1945-January 1947.'' (1998). </ref> However, Marshall almost single-handedly kept the United States from actively intervening in in support of the wartime all, the Nationalist government  under [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. Marshall's conclusion that the United States should stay out of the war went against the thinking of many American political and military leaders, the news media, and State Department officials.  But Marshall had concluded that it would be unwise for the U.S. to assume any responsibility for the dismal combat performance of Chiang's troops.  The Communists under [[Mao Zedong]] came to power in 1949, and China became a bitter enemy, going to war with the U.S. in Korea in 1950. The failure of Marshall's mission made him the target of intense Republican attacks, led by Senator [[Joe McCarthy]]. Republican newspapers attacked Marshall when he referred to the Chinese Communists as, "These fellows are just old-fashioned agrarian reformers."<ref>John T. Flynn,  ''While You Slept : Our Tragedy in Asia and Who Made It'', 1951, [http://www.mises.org/books/whileyouslept.pdf pg. 22]</ref>

In 1945-47 Marshall was sent to China to see what should be done to avert a civil war, with the long-term goal of establishing a stable, democratic China that was friendly to the U.S.  The mission failed because [[Mao Zedong]] believed America represented the capitalist enemy of Communism.<ref>He Di, "Mao Zedong and the Marshall Mission," in  Larry I. Bland, et al. eds. ''George C. Marshall's Mediation Mission to China, December 1945-January 1947.'' (1998).</ref> However, Marshall almost single-handedly kept the United States from actively intervening in in support of the wartime all, the Nationalist government  under [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. Marshall's conclusion that the United States should stay out of the war went against the thinking of many American political and military leaders, the news media, and State Department officials.  But Marshall had concluded that it would be unwise for the U.S. to assume any responsibility for the dismal combat performance of Chiang's troops.  The Communists under [[Mao Zedong]] came to power in 1949, and China became a bitter enemy, going to war with the U.S. in Korea in 1950. The failure of Marshall's mission made him the target of intense Republican attacks, led by Senator [[Joe McCarthy]]. Republican newspapers attacked Marshall when he referred to the Chinese Communists as, "These fellows are just old-fashioned agrarian reformers."<ref>John T. Flynn,  ''While You Slept : Our Tragedy in Asia and Who Made It'', 1951, [http://www.mises.org/books/whileyouslept.pdf pg. 22]</ref>

==Marshall Plan==

==Marshall Plan==

*[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/57.htm THE MARSHALL PLAN (1947)] U. S. Department of State.

*[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/57.htm THE MARSHALL PLAN (1947)] U. S. Department of State.

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

* Bland, Larry; Jeans, Roger B.; and Wilkinson, Mark, eds. ''George C. Marshall's Mediation Mission to China, December 1945-January 1947.'' (1998). 661 pp. 24 essays by scholars

* Bland, Larry; Jeans, Roger B.; and Wilkinson, Mark, eds. ''George C. Marshall's Mediation Mission to China, December 1945-January 1947.'' (1998). 661 pp.&nbsp;24 essays by scholars

*  Bland, Larry I., and James B. Barber. ''George C. Marshall: Soldier of Peace'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/George-C-Marshall-Soldier-Peace/dp/0801858143/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214271659&sr=1-2 online edition]

*  Bland, Larry I., and James B. Barber. ''George C. Marshall: Soldier of Peace'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/George-C-Marshall-Soldier-Peace/dp/0801858143/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214271659&sr=1-2 online edition]

* Bryan, Ferald J. "George C. Marshall at Harvard: a Study of the Origins and Construction of the 'Marshall Plan' Speech." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1991 21(3): 489-502. Issn: 0360-4918  

* Bryan, Ferald J. "George C. Marshall at Harvard: a Study of the Origins and Construction of the 'Marshall Plan' Speech." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 1991 21(3): 489-502. Issn: 0360-4918  

* Marshall, George C. ''The Papers of George Catlett Marshall,'' ed. Larry I. Bland et al.; [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?e=p-00000-00---off-0themarsh--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL2 complete contents are online]  

* Marshall, George C. ''The Papers of George Catlett Marshall,'' ed. Larry I. Bland et al.; [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?e=p-00000-00---off-0themarsh--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL2 complete contents are online]  

**Volume 1: The Soldierly Spirit, December 1880 - June 1939

**Volume 1: The Soldierly Spirit, December 1880 - June 1939

**Volume 2: We Cannot Delay, July 1, 1939-December 6, 1941

**Volume 2: We Cannot Delay, July 1, 1939 – December 6, 1941

** Volume 3: The Right Man for the Job, December 7, 1941-May 31, 1943

** Volume 3: The Right Man for the Job, December 7, 1941 – May 31, 1943

** Volume 4: Aggressive and Determined Leadership, June 1, 1943-December 31, 1944

** Volume 4: Aggressive and Determined Leadership, June 1, 1943 – December 31, 1944

** Volume 5: The Finest Soldier, January 1, 1945--January 7, 1947  

** Volume 5: The Finest Soldier, January 1, 1945—January 7, 1947  

* Marshall, George C. ''George C. Marshall: Interviews and Reminiscences for Forrest C. Pogue.'' ed. by Larry I. Bland, Joellen K. Bland, and Sharon Ritenour Stevens; (1991)  698 pp.  [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?site=localhost&a=p&p=about&c=intervie&l=en&w=utf-8  searchable online]

* Marshall, George C. ''George C. Marshall: Interviews and Reminiscences for Forrest C. Pogue.'' ed. by Larry I. Bland, Joellen K. Bland, and Sharon Ritenour Stevens; (1991)  698 pp.  [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?site=localhost&a=p&p=about&c=intervie&l=en&w=utf-8  searchable online]

* Marshall, George Catlett. ''Memoirs of My Services in the World War, 1917-1918'' (1976)

* Marshall, George Catlett. ''Memoirs of My Services in the World War, 1917-1918'' (1976)

[[Category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]

[[Category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]

[[Category:Military History]]

[[Category:Military History]]

[[Category:diplomacy]]

[[Category:Diplomacy]]

[[Category:World War II]]

[[Category:World War II]]

[[Category:United States History]]

[[Category:United States History]]

[[Category:Cold War]]

[[Category:Cold War]]