George Catlett Marshall Jr. What comes to mind when you hear this name? Who appears before you: a ruthless military man who attacked defenseless people with an atomic bomb, or a merciful benefactor of Europe who received a Nobel Prize for his project?
It is noteworthy that the life and work of Marshall is full of mysteries and contradictions. Let's get to know him better and find out who he is, how he lived and what he became famous for.
Childhood
Future General George Marshall was born back in 1880, in the small American town of Uniontown, located in Pennsylvania.
The family lived in a big way, in prosperity and honor. Father traded coal and timber, mother raised three children.
Little George Catlett Marshall was no different from his peers. He was a little overweight and lazy, he was superficial in his studies. At the same time, he stood out with a serious thoughtful character, was a little secretive and a little arrogant.
Youth
The parents prepared their son to be their successor, they wanted to see him as a prudent prosperousbusinessman. However, the young man did not want to go to the merchants and chose a different occupation - the military profession.
Of course, my father was against it. But how could this restrained, purposeful boy, who secretly dreams of conquering the whole world, be stopped?!
At the age of seventeen, George Marshall entered the Virginia Military Institute, where he attracted attention with his rare endurance and poise.
Four years of study passed quickly and unnoticed, and now the biography of George Marshall begins to dazzle with the first military victories.
Starting activities
With the rank of junior lieutenant, a young enthusiastic military man gets assigned to the infantry troops and leaves for the Philippines. After a year and a half of selfless service, he decides to improve his military qualifications and receives the rank of captain.
At the age of thirty-seven, George Marshall goes to the front. The First World War was in full swing, the Allies either won brilliant victories or experienced terrible defeats. Europe is mired in blood, fear and murder.
Cold-blooded and imperturbable, Marshall served as a communications officer at the headquarters, carefully fulfilling his immediate duties and sincerely surprised at how poorly prepared his compatriots were and how strange and inconsistent the allied forces were acting.
He knew it was wrong, he knew he would have done it differently. But he couldn't do anything to change anything.
The ambitious captain failed to stand out from the background of the commanders, butthen an opportunity presented itself - a senior officer who led an important military operation fell ill. Marshall boldly and boldly took command.
He quickly developed a battle plan, deftly using all the necessary resources: human strength, geographical maps and other documents.
The operation led by Mashallah was a success. Satisfied leadership awarded the brave and wise captain the rank of colonel.
After that, there were other bright, brilliantly planned battles, for which George Catlett was promised to be given a general, but the war was already ending, and this promise had sunk into obscurity.
After the war, he was even lowered in rank (which corresponded to the peacetime order), but this did not dampen the service ardor of an experienced military man.
After the war
Starting in 1919, George Marshall received an honorary appointment under General Pershing, then served in China for three years, and then taught at the Georgia Infantry School. Such a diverse service brought only benefits to the valiant military man: he gained influential patrons, learned Chinese, and showed himself well among his colleagues, who respected him as an honest and professional person.
Remarkably, Marshall was one of the few who warned the leadership of the United States that the American army was not ready for war. He advocated strengthening the troops and equipping them with new equipment.
I wonder whatmilitary activities did not prevent George Catlett from actively engaging in public affairs. For example, in the mid-1930s, he developed a massive youth employment program (as part of Roosevelt's policy).
World War II
The events of 1939-1945 became an important milestone in the biography of George Marshall.
A year before the outbreak of hostilities, he moved to Washington, where he was appointed to the position of assistant chief of military planning (on the general staff). Immediately after the declaration of war, the sane leader was promoted to the rank of general and entrusted with the management of the army's general staff.
While in his position of responsibility, the newly minted general advocated selective military service and the creation of the National Guard, managed to reorganize the War Department and regularly strengthened the armed forces. With sufficient information, he repeatedly warned the government of the danger of a Japanese attack.
Planning many military operations that ended successfully for the US military, Marshall again attracted the attention of the president. He becomes Roosevelt's adviser on the conduct of hostilities, accompanies the head of state during various congresses and conferences, and also supervises the work on the creation of the atomic bomb.
What heights did George Catlett achieve in his work? A second front was opened, weapons and food were supplied to the Soviet Union, the war with Italy ended and troops landed in Normandy for occupationNazi Germany.
Often, the chief of staff was required to remain in the background and not claim authorship of some military operations.
A dark spot on military biography
Is the general responsible for the use of atomic weapons against Hiroshima and Nagasaki? According to some sources, Marshall personally advised the president to take drastic measures. However, there is other information, according to which George Catlett believed that there was no need for an atomic bombing and regretted that many civilians died during the operation.
In the future, commenting on this incident, the American general stated that atomic weapons had to be used in order to end the war, but at the same time admitted that the price of victory was too high.
Be that as it may, after the surrender of the Japanese, Marshall ended his military career and switched to the diplomatic service.
Post-war period
The fearless general's first task was to improve the situation in China by protecting the country from civil war. However, the good mission failed, and George Catlett returned to his homeland.
Then President Truman offered him the position of Secretary of State, which entailed a serious responsibility. The new task of the aging Marshall was the improvement of foreign policy, that is, the restoration of international relations.
Enterprising American treated his duties, as always, thoroughly and diligently.
Marshall Plan
In those years, Europe was inruins. Destroyed industrial buildings, starving people, a collapsed economy and horrendous inflation. All this against the backdrop of terrible bloody memories depressing and crushing the civilian population.
And now the wise and prudent George Catlett offers his program to resolve the international situation.
What was George Marshall's plan? For four years, America donated twelve billion dollars to the authorities of the sixteen states with which the treaty was signed, which needed to be used only to restore enterprises (or create new ones), as well as to create jobs.
Countries that have received Marshall assistance: England, France, West Germany, Holland, Austria, Belgium and others. Later, Japan and other East Asian states were included in this list.
USSR and Finland refused aid.
One of the conditions of the "Marshall Plan" was the requirement to remove communist parties from governments.
The states that received assistance in accordance with this program, in twenty years were able to take their rightful place among the leading countries in the world.
No wonder Marshall received the Nobel Prize for creating his Plan. In addition to the Nobel Prize, George Marshall was awarded other honorary titles, was awarded many orders and medals. Educational institutions and avenues are named after him.
George Marshall Filmography
The image of the glorious Marshall is reflectedin Steven Spielberg's military drama Saving Private Ryan, where the American general appears before the audience as his colleagues knew him: fearless, honest, reasonable and virtuous.
George Catlett Marshall died at the age of seventy-eight.
