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[[Image:George Catlett Marshall.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gen. George C. Marshall]]

[[Image:George Catlett Marshall.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gen. George C. Marshall]]

'''George Catlett Marshall''' (1880-1959) was the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army during [[World War II]], and the chief military advisor to President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. After the war he served as Secretary of State to President [[Harry S. Truman]] and sponsored the [[Marshall Plan]] in 1947. He was also Secretary of Defense during part of the [[Korean War]].  He was known for his skills as a committee chairman and planner, and for his aloofness and sterling integrity.

'''George Catlett Marshall''' (1880–1959) was the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army during [[World War II]], and the chief military advisor to President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. After the war, he served as Secretary of State to President [[Harry S. Truman]] and sponsored the [[Marshall Plan]] in 1947. He was also Secretary of Defense during part of the [[Korean War]].  He was known for his skills as a committee chairman and planner, and for his aloofness and sterling integrity.

==World War II==

==World War II==

:"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."

When war began the Philippine airbases were quickly lost. American strategy then focused on getting forward airbases close enough to Japan to use the very-long-range [[B-29]] bomber, then in development.  At first the B-29's were stationed in China and made raids in 1944; the logistics made China an impossible base. Finally, in summer 1944, the U.S. won the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]] and captured islands that were in range.  

When the war began, the Philippine airbases were quickly lost. American strategy then focused on getting forward airbases close enough to Japan to use the very-long-range [[B-29]] bomber, then in development.  At first the B-29's were stationed in China and made raids in 1944; the logistics made China an impossible base. Finally, in summer 1944, the U.S. won the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]] and captured islands that were in range.  

==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==

see [[Marshall Plan]]

see [[Marshall Plan]]

Am experienced diplomat, he served as Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949, formulating the [[Marshall Plan]], an unprecedented program of economic and military aid to in war-ravaged Western Europe. This program became known as the "Marshall Plan" and led to the coalition of free nations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to help revitalize Europe. Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for this work.<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1953/marshall-bio.html The Nobel Peace Prize 1953]</ref>

Am experienced diplomat, he served as Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949, formulating the [[Marshall Plan]], an unprecedented program of economic and military aid to in war-ravaged Western Europe. This program became known as the "Marshall Plan" and led to the coalition of free nations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to help revitalize Europe. Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for this work.<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1953/marshall-bio.html The Nobel Peace Prize 1953]</ref>

==Korean war==

==Korean war==

== Personal ==

== Personal ==

Colleagues described Marshall as a humble man, who worked hard and remained dedicated to his nation. His modesty led him to decline to write memoirs.

Colleagues described Marshall as a humble man, who worked hard and remained dedicated to his nation. His modesty led him to decline to write memoirs.

== Honors ==

== Honors ==