George Catlett
Marshall, one of only a few
professional soldiers to be
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,
was both a military genius and
an inspired humanitarian. His
European Recovery Plan
rehabilitated the economies of
that war-torn continent.
As the son of a Kentucky
Democrat living in Republican
Uniontown, Pennsylvania, young
Marshall had no hope for an
appointment to West Point. He
chose instead to attend
Virginia Military Institute,
spending his spare time
exploring Virginia's Civil War
battlefields. He learned a
great deal about the military
strategies of legendary VMI
instructor Stonewall Jackson.
Today at the George C.
Marshall Museum, you'll
see in an exhibit covering
Marshall's years as staff
officer in France, 1917-1919.
Damon Runyan wrote a newspaper
column about him entitled,
"American Sudan Drives
According to Principles of
Stonewall Jackson." Runyan
was not the only one to
discern the influence of
Jackson. As early as 1913
while he was in the
Philippines, Marshall was
called upon to attack when his
chief of staff fell ill.
Marshall dictated the entire
plan of battle without
corrections. In commending
the young lieutenant for his
field orders, Major General J.
Franklin Bell said, "He is the
greatest military genius since
Stonewall Jackson."
Photo murals and personal
mementos at the museum trace
Marshall's outstanding
military leadership. The
course of World War II is
detailed in a 25-minute
electric map presentation.
For military buffs there is
General George Patton's
helmet, Field Marshall
Rommel's map of El Alamein and
General Gerow's operation of
Omaha Beach.
Marshall's career as statesman
and diplomat is also
thoroughly covered. In the
postwar years he served as
President Truman's envoy to
China with the rank of
ambassador and as his
secretary of state. It was in
the latter capacity that he
spoke at the Harvard
Commencement program in June
1947 and outlined what has
become known as the Marshall
Plan. At the age of 70 by a
special act of Congress
Marshall became Truman's
secretary of defense during
the Korean conflict.
America is not the only
nation to recognize Marshall's
achievements. The museum
displays medals from 16
countries including the George
VI's Honorary Knight of the
Grand Cross, Military Division
of the Order of Bath. One award
did not go directly to Marshall
but to Patton, the movie
about General Patton's drive
across Europe. The producer of
this Best Picture of the Year
for 1970, Frank M. McCarthy,
chose to have his Oscar
displayed at the George C.
Marshall Museum.
The museum has an innovative
"Try on a Piece of History"
program for young visitors. The
Research Center houses an
extensive archive containing the
personal and private papers of
General Marshall and other
contemporaries as well as a
library of more than 25,000
volumes specializing in 20th-
century military and diplomatic
history. The Research Center is
available without charge to
researchers of all ages.
The George C. Marshall Museum is
open daily from 9:00 A.M. to
5:00 P.M. except during the
months of November through March
when the museum closes at 4:00
P.M. The Research Center is
open weekdays from 8:30 A.M. to
4:30 P.M. Both are closed on
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Year's Day. Admission is
charged for the museum.
Directions: From I-95 in the
Richmond area, take I-64 west to
Lexington, then exit onto Route
11. Just outside Lexington,
Route 11 forks to the right onto
Jefferson Street. The first
right off Jefferson up Letcher
Avenue takes you to the VMI
parade grounds and to the George
C. Marshall Museum. From I-81,
take the Route 60 exit and head
north into Lexington on Nelson
Street. Follow Main Street to
Letcher Avenue.
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