This week will mark the birth date of a truly great American, George Marshall. Yet, many under 40 don’t know much about Marshall, or haven’t heard of him.
Born December 31, 1880, Marshall was a career military officer. He served under General Pershing in World War I. Just before the start of World War II in 1939, Marshall became Army Chief of Staff, serving in this position until the end of the war in 1945. President Franklin Roosevelt said Marshall was irreplaceable. Winston Churchill called him “The organizer of victory.” President Truman called Marshall “The greatest military man this country ever produced – or any other country for that matter.”
After WWII, Marshall became Secretary of State, and later Secretary of Defense. Time Magazine named Marshall Man of the Year twice, and called him the indispensable man. He won the Nobel Peace Prize 1953.
Not a bad résumé.
Marshall’s contributions cannot be overstated. Before entering WWII in December 1941, the U.S. military was woefully unprepared. There was a significant shortage of weaponry and equipment, and there were less than 200,000 troops. Marshall managed the war effort including an incredible ramping-up of manpower to over 8,000,000 in just three years – a forty-fold increase. He helped unify the allied nations, organized a gigantic war effort, and achieved total victory in a massive two-front war in less than four years!
His contemporaries described Marshall as principled and as a great leader. They agreed that he always displayed integrity, determination, genius and wisdom. He was also tough. General George Patton, known for his toughness, once said, “I would have rather faced the entire German Panzer Army single-handed, than to be called to an interview with Marshall.”
Marshall had to manage the egos of strong-willed generals such as: McArthur, Eisenhower, Montgomery, and Mountbatten. He held his own against giants like: FDR, Churchill and Stalin. He also had to deal with arrogant statesmen and self-serving politicians.
After leaving military life, Marshall achieved greatness again serving in government. His most significant accomplishment was helping implement the European Recovery Program (aka the Marshall Plan).
By the end of WWII, much of Europe was in ruins. Bombing had destroyed many major cities. Infrastructure was largely obliterated and industrial output ruined in most countries. Food shortages were severe and widespread. It would take years for countries to rebuild their economies.
American and European leaders knew they had to act. They understood that not enough had been done at the end of WWI to help Europe rebuild, and it had led to significant social unrest. The desperate environment of post WWI made possible the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. It was a mistake leaders did not want to repeat and it lead to the formation of the Marshall Plan.
The Marshall Plan was a blueprint to help rebuild and jump-start the ruined economies of Western Europe (Russia controlled Eastern Europe then and refused to participate).
Initially, the plan encountered opposition from both parties. Marshall’s stature helped convince a nervous Congress to approve the plan. The plan had bipartisan support, from the Republicans who controlled Congress and from President Truman a Democrat. Eventually, $12.4 billion (about $120 billion in today’s dollars) in aid was allocated from 1948-1951.
The plan was a big deal, and it worked. By 1952, the economy of every participating country had surpassed pre-war levels. It was fastest period of growth in European history. Industrial and agricultural production also exceeded pre-war levels. The starvation and chaos at the end of WWII evaporated, and Western Europe enjoyed two decades of unprecedented growth and prosperity.
Just as important, the Marshall Plan prevented social discord and political instability in Europe, and the influence of communism and radical political parties was effectively eliminated.
The Marshall Plan is the personification of American exceptionalism. The funds allocated for the plan were largely grants, not loans to repay. It was diplomatic generosity on a scale never seen before, and it created substantial goodwill and admiration for the U.S. worldwide. It was also very good for America, both economically and strategically. The plan was not only a humanitarian success, it strengthened NATO and U.S. interests overseas. It’s a model that could be used again – abroad and at home.
George Marshall instilled confidence in leaders and knew how to manage relationships between prideful men. He was a superb negotiator, brilliant public speaker, and very persuasive. He understood that good foreign policy can build strong alliances, create stability, prevent suffering, and most importantly, mean the difference between war and peace.