General George Marshall Research Paper

General George Catlett Marshall was one of the most decorated Soldiers and a successful statesman in the history of the United States. The distinguished General served his country selflessly and with honor for over four decades as a Soldier, as a chief of staff of the Army, as a secretary of state and as a secretary of defense. He was a skillful diplomat and a great leader with brilliant mind. Although he had never led Soldiers to a battle or fired a shot during the Second World War, he was elevated to the highest rank for his strategic and diplomatic brilliance. As a chief of staff of the Army, General Marshall was responsible for building the finest and the best Army in the world. He coordinated the mobilization and deployment of the US Armed

Army. At that time, the Army had fewer than 200,000 peace time officers and soldiers equipped with outmoded weapons. He gave a clear guidance that the Army should focus on personnel training and the development of new weapons and modern equipment. In preparation for the Second World War, he expanded the Army forty-fold, to over eight million well-trained and well-equipped war time force within four years. He directed the massive expansion and modernization of the US Army that transformed the force into a global power and affirmed the United States’ status as an international leader. During the early years of the war, Marshall traveled the world to attend international conferences, met with world leaders, gathered support for the Allied Forces and coordinated the war effort. According to Biography.com (2016), “he helped the Allied invasion of Europe which many expected he would lead, but President Roosevelt felt Marshall’s diplomacy and planning skills were more needed in Washington.” Although he had never physically led troops into combat, Marshall has earned a strong reputation as a great leader and a skilled organizer with wisdom and eventually rose to a global leadership position. During World War II, General Marshall, as Army chief of staff, was the most important military figure in the U.S. Armed Forces and a leader

At the end of the Second World War, the European economy was devastated and the continent was in despair, and there was no political or economic stability in the region. Secretary Marshall believed that a politically stable and an economically strong Europe could serve the best interests of the United States. In June of 1947, Marshall revealed his mega plan for his European economic recovery program, also known as the “Marshall Plan”, which would, modernize industry, boost trade and make Europe prosperous continent again. The plan was a big success that laid the framework for a rebuilding of war ruined Europe and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Marshall was not only dedicated to building a strong defense to safeguard the freedom and security of our nation, but also determined to find peaceful solutions to world conflicts. His dedication for defense and determination for peace earned him the nick name the “winner of war and