George Catlett Marshall

Marshall, George Catlett 

Born Dec. 31, 1880, in Uniontown, Pa.; died Oct. 16, 1959, in Washington D.C. American statesman and military figure; general of the army (1944).

After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute in 1901, Marshall served with American forces in the Philippines, Europe, China, and the USA. He was chief of staff of the US Army from 1939 to 1945. He participated in the major international conferences of World War II (1939-45), including those at Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam. From 1945 to 1947 he was President H. Truman’s special representative in China. As US secretary of state from 1947 to 1949, Marshall was one of the architects of cold war policy; he actively participated in drawing up the Truman Doctrine and the program of American “aid” to the Western European countries that was named after him. After serving as secretary of defense in 1950-51, he left active government and political life.