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George C. Marshall #4
George C. Marshall: Statesman: 1945-1959
In Statesman 1945-1949, the fourth and final volume of the authorized biography of George C. Marshall, Forrest C. Pogue gives us a unique view of the years immediately following World War II and a portrait of a man who, after a distinguished military career, went on to serve his country in even more indispensable ways as a statesman.
On November 26, 1945, George C. Marshall retired after six years as U.S. Army Chief of Staff. one day later, President Truman appointed him Special Ambassador to China. For the next six years, Marshall would confront the most difficult issues of the postwar world. As Secretary of State, he addressed the economic and social plight of war-devastated Europe by initiating the Marshall Plan, called by Churchill "the most unsordid act in history." As Secretary of State during the Korean War, Marshall advocated America's foreign policy. And thea vision of the military's role in a democracy that was at the heart of the controversial decision to recall General Douglas MacArthur.
The years after World War II were marked by an extraordinary bipartisan effort in the creation of America's foreign policy. And the linchpin of this unity was Marshall. The men who worked with him—Dean Acheson, George Kennan, Robert Lovett—were devoted to him; the world leaders he served—Truman, Churchill, Chiang Kai-shek, and Bidault—constantly solicited his counsel. In Statesman, Forrest Pogue presents a portrait of Marshall at once majestic and moving: a portrait of an unselfish and unassuming man who saw no greater responsibility—or privilege—than the chance to serve his country.
On November 26, 1945, George C. Marshall retired after six years as U.S. Army Chief of Staff. one day later, President Truman appointed him Special Ambassador to China. For the next six years, Marshall would confront the most difficult issues of the postwar world. As Secretary of State, he addressed the economic and social plight of war-devastated Europe by initiating the Marshall Plan, called by Churchill "the most unsordid act in history." As Secretary of State during the Korean War, Marshall advocated America's foreign policy. And thea vision of the military's role in a democracy that was at the heart of the controversial decision to recall General Douglas MacArthur.
The years after World War II were marked by an extraordinary bipartisan effort in the creation of America's foreign policy. And the linchpin of this unity was Marshall. The men who worked with him—Dean Acheson, George Kennan, Robert Lovett—were devoted to him; the world leaders he served—Truman, Churchill, Chiang Kai-shek, and Bidault—constantly solicited his counsel. In Statesman, Forrest Pogue presents a portrait of Marshall at once majestic and moving: a portrait of an unselfish and unassuming man who saw no greater responsibility—or privilege—than the chance to serve his country.
601 pages, Hardcover
First published June 5, 1987
About the author
Forrest C. Pogue
11 books11 followersForrest Carlisle Pogue Jr. was an official United States Army historian during World War II. He was a proponent of oral history techniques, and collected many oral histories from the war under the direction of chief Army historian S. L. A. Marshall. He also served for many years as the Executive Director of the George C. Marshall Foundation as well as Director of the Marshall Library located on the campus of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 4, 2021
On November 18, 1945, George Catlett Marshall stepped down from his post as the fifteenth Chief of Staff of the United States Army. It was a momentous tour of duty by any standard, as over the course of five years Marshall oversaw the Army’s preparations for the Second World War and the ultimate victory of American arms over the Axis powers. As the longest-serving Chief of Staff in the Army’s history, Marshall’s retirement was overdue, and after the stresses of the war he looked forward to a long period of rest with his wife.
Instead, a month later Marshall flew to China as President Harry Truman’s special envoy to the region. This marked the start of a new phase in Marshall’s storied career of public service, as the general now began a six-year period undertaking a new succession of challenging tasks. As Forrest Pogue makes clear in the fourth and final volume of his account of Marshall’s life, the general’s service came at a critical moment in the country’s relationship with the world, as the United States sought to define its place in the postwar environment. Marshall played a major role in this process, first as Truman’s special advisor in China, then in the cabinet as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. In these offices he helped shape the postwar settlement in Europe, championed the economic recovery plan that was to bear his name, and managed America’s military at a critical phase of its war in Korea.
These positions called upon the depth of knowledge and the range of skills that Marshall had developed over his long military career. As special envoy, Marshall attempted to bridge the divide between the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong’s Communists, only for his efforts to fail at the intractability of the two sides. Marshall’s experience with high-level conferences proved far more useful in his role as Secretary of State, to which office Truman named him upon his return to the United States in 1947. As the nation’s top diplomat Marshall soon found himself dealing with the enormous challenge of rebuilding postwar Europe, one made more difficult by the Soviet Union’s willingness to let policy drift regardless of the ongoing suffering.
In response, the United States developed the European Recovery Program. Though this became known as the Marshall Plan, Pogue makes it clear that this was not his brainchild but that of his department’s Policy Planning Staff. In this respect it was a triumph of Marshall’s management style, in that he defined their goal and left them to work out the solution. Yet Pogue’s description of Marshall’s efforts to convince Congress to approve the funding for it make it clear that his involvement was vital for the program’s success, fully justifying the Nobel Peace Prize he subsequently would receive for it.
Upon his departure from the State Department in 1949 Marshall accepted a largely honorific position as the president of the American Red Cross. His hopes for a permanent retirement, though, ended with the Korean War. With the incumbent Defense Secretary, Louis Johnson, blamed for budget cuts that left American forces poorly prepared, Truman asked Marshall to take up the office. As a result, Marshall found himself at the heart of the controversy surrounding Truman’s firing of Douglas MacArthur, and subject to increasing attacks by the Republican right as a consequence. It was a discordant note to what was otherwise the acclaim he received both upon his final retirement in 1951 and his death eight years later.
The final volume of Pogue’s biography completes what is an effective monument to a great statesman and public servant. In it he provides an often-meticulous account of Marshall’s labors and the problems he addressed. In the process of recounting the events of the various conferences and committee hearings in which his subject participated, though, Pogue often loses himself in the details. What he leaves out in the process is any real analysis of Marshall’s actions or his broader thinking. As a result, while giving us a biography that will long serve as a valuable resource on Marshall’s career and a testament to his labors, it falls short in providing us with any assessment of his achievements or the legacy he left through them.
Instead, a month later Marshall flew to China as President Harry Truman’s special envoy to the region. This marked the start of a new phase in Marshall’s storied career of public service, as the general now began a six-year period undertaking a new succession of challenging tasks. As Forrest Pogue makes clear in the fourth and final volume of his account of Marshall’s life, the general’s service came at a critical moment in the country’s relationship with the world, as the United States sought to define its place in the postwar environment. Marshall played a major role in this process, first as Truman’s special advisor in China, then in the cabinet as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. In these offices he helped shape the postwar settlement in Europe, championed the economic recovery plan that was to bear his name, and managed America’s military at a critical phase of its war in Korea.
These positions called upon the depth of knowledge and the range of skills that Marshall had developed over his long military career. As special envoy, Marshall attempted to bridge the divide between the Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong’s Communists, only for his efforts to fail at the intractability of the two sides. Marshall’s experience with high-level conferences proved far more useful in his role as Secretary of State, to which office Truman named him upon his return to the United States in 1947. As the nation’s top diplomat Marshall soon found himself dealing with the enormous challenge of rebuilding postwar Europe, one made more difficult by the Soviet Union’s willingness to let policy drift regardless of the ongoing suffering.
In response, the United States developed the European Recovery Program. Though this became known as the Marshall Plan, Pogue makes it clear that this was not his brainchild but that of his department’s Policy Planning Staff. In this respect it was a triumph of Marshall’s management style, in that he defined their goal and left them to work out the solution. Yet Pogue’s description of Marshall’s efforts to convince Congress to approve the funding for it make it clear that his involvement was vital for the program’s success, fully justifying the Nobel Peace Prize he subsequently would receive for it.
Upon his departure from the State Department in 1949 Marshall accepted a largely honorific position as the president of the American Red Cross. His hopes for a permanent retirement, though, ended with the Korean War. With the incumbent Defense Secretary, Louis Johnson, blamed for budget cuts that left American forces poorly prepared, Truman asked Marshall to take up the office. As a result, Marshall found himself at the heart of the controversy surrounding Truman’s firing of Douglas MacArthur, and subject to increasing attacks by the Republican right as a consequence. It was a discordant note to what was otherwise the acclaim he received both upon his final retirement in 1951 and his death eight years later.
The final volume of Pogue’s biography completes what is an effective monument to a great statesman and public servant. In it he provides an often-meticulous account of Marshall’s labors and the problems he addressed. In the process of recounting the events of the various conferences and committee hearings in which his subject participated, though, Pogue often loses himself in the details. What he leaves out in the process is any real analysis of Marshall’s actions or his broader thinking. As a result, while giving us a biography that will long serve as a valuable resource on Marshall’s career and a testament to his labors, it falls short in providing us with any assessment of his achievements or the legacy he left through them.
December 6, 2020
Now have read all four volumes of Pogue’s biography of Marshall. As one of the greatest Americans EVER, Marshall warrants such comprehensive treatment. I find Pogue’s style a bit plodding, but he is clear and easy to read. Perhaps his style mirrors Marshall — straight ahead, modest in its claims, no nonsense, no verbal flourishes.
This period of Marshall’s life is right in my proverbial wheelhouse as a Truman-period scholar (OK, let’s put “scholar” in quotes, even if it IS my MA thesis period). I’ve read or used many of the primary sources and histories Pogue cites, but it’s good to see the same territory from Marshall’s perspective, and since Marshall did not leave memoirs, Pogue’s bio is the next closest thing. If anything, the book might understate Marshall’s impact on the postwar period — the sort of understatement one might expect from Marshall himself.
The last chapter in this volume is an “Epilogue” reflecting on Marshall’s entire career. It’s an excellent summary of a remarkable man.
This period of Marshall’s life is right in my proverbial wheelhouse as a Truman-period scholar (OK, let’s put “scholar” in quotes, even if it IS my MA thesis period). I’ve read or used many of the primary sources and histories Pogue cites, but it’s good to see the same territory from Marshall’s perspective, and since Marshall did not leave memoirs, Pogue’s bio is the next closest thing. If anything, the book might understate Marshall’s impact on the postwar period — the sort of understatement one might expect from Marshall himself.
The last chapter in this volume is an “Epilogue” reflecting on Marshall’s entire career. It’s an excellent summary of a remarkable man.
April 24, 2019
This work is the fourth volume in Forrest Pogue’s biography of George Marshall and the only one I have read to date. It covers his period as envoy to China, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense as well as his stint as President of the Red Cross. It begins with the ending of World War II, then examines his subsequent roles sequentially.
These roles were played in crucial times. The China mission intervened in the later stages of the Civil War that brought the Communists to power. Although unsuccessful, Marshall performed credibly, although his involvement enabled later critics to associate him with the loss of China.
His State Department service was a continuum of his military service as he struggled to restore civilized life to Europe in the wake of war and against Soviet intransigence. His recognition of the need to restore prosperity to Europe and the efforts to obtain congressional approval establish that the Marshall Plan was his initiative in fact as well as in name.
His last call to duty in the Defense Department coincided with the Korean War including the dismissal of Gen. MacArthur. During these crises Marshall managed to reorganize the relatively new Department.
Throughout this tome Marshall’s status as in independent, non-partisan enabled him to work with Democrats and Republicans, a talent particularly helpful when the Republicans controlled Congress. It was to fail him only when partisan attacks became so strident during the later Truman administration that even his Teflon veneer was burned away.
This book is long and very detailed. I am glad that I read it in preparation for the one-night continuing education class I taught on Marshall. One has to be willing to devote time to absorb this narrative but for one really interested in understanding Marshall the Statesman the effort is worthwhile.
These roles were played in crucial times. The China mission intervened in the later stages of the Civil War that brought the Communists to power. Although unsuccessful, Marshall performed credibly, although his involvement enabled later critics to associate him with the loss of China.
His State Department service was a continuum of his military service as he struggled to restore civilized life to Europe in the wake of war and against Soviet intransigence. His recognition of the need to restore prosperity to Europe and the efforts to obtain congressional approval establish that the Marshall Plan was his initiative in fact as well as in name.
His last call to duty in the Defense Department coincided with the Korean War including the dismissal of Gen. MacArthur. During these crises Marshall managed to reorganize the relatively new Department.
Throughout this tome Marshall’s status as in independent, non-partisan enabled him to work with Democrats and Republicans, a talent particularly helpful when the Republicans controlled Congress. It was to fail him only when partisan attacks became so strident during the later Truman administration that even his Teflon veneer was burned away.
This book is long and very detailed. I am glad that I read it in preparation for the one-night continuing education class I taught on Marshall. One has to be willing to devote time to absorb this narrative but for one really interested in understanding Marshall the Statesman the effort is worthwhile.
December 10, 2020
I am really just underwhelmed by this series as a whole. Volumes 2-3 were really good and 4 just ended with underwhelming expectations. A good read from a library, especially on war buildup and plans, but just not much else for me.
September 6, 2010
This is a the fourth and last in a series of volumes (I have been through parts of all four) covering, in great detail, and with thoughtful, sober analysis, the life of one of America's great men. George Catlett Marshall, for those who are not familiar with the name or his accomplishments, was the U.S. Army Chief of Staff from 1939 to 1945 and was the unsung hero of the Allied triumph in World War II and the originator of the "Marshall Plan" to restore peace and economic well-being to Europe, which lay in ruins at the war's end. Only General (later Secretary of State) Marshall commanded enough respect and trust to convince the Congress to cough up billions for this effort. Disciplined, courageous, apolitical, highly intelligent, George C. Marshall is a hero of mine. And for his exhaustive efforts to restore Europe to prosperity, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, the first military man to achieve such a distinction.
Okay, Forrest C. Pogue is no Tolstoy, and there are other interesting Marshall books out there, but this is the most comprehensive and authoritative.
Okay, Forrest C. Pogue is no Tolstoy, and there are other interesting Marshall books out there, but this is the most comprehensive and authoritative.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews