The extraordinary career of General George C. Marshall--America's most
distinguished soldier-statesman since George Washington--whose selfless
leadership and moral character influenced the course of two world wars
and helped define the American century
"I've read several biographies of Marshall, but I think [David]
Roll's may be the best of the bunch."--Thomas E. Ricks, New York Times
Book Review - "Powerful."--The Wall Street Journal -
"Enthralling."--Andrew Roberts - "Important."--William I. Hitchcock -
"Majestic."--Susan Page - "Engrossing."--Andrew J. Bacevich -
"Judicious."--Walter Isaacson - "Definitive."--Kirkus
Winston Churchill called him World War II's organizer of victory. Harry
Truman said he was the greatest military man that this country ever
produced. Today, in our era of failed leadership, few lives are more
worthy of renewed examination than Marshall and his fifty years of loyal
service to the defense of his nation and its values.
Even as a young officer Marshall was heralded as a genius, a reputation
that grew when in WWI he planned and executed a nighttime movement of
more than a half million troops from one battlefield to another that led
to the armistice. Between the wars he helped modernize combat training
and re-staffed the U.S. Army's officer corps with the men who would lead
in the next decades. But as WWII loomed, it was the role of army chief
of staff in which Marshall's intellect and backbone were put to the
test, when his blind commitment to duty would run up against the
realities of Washington politics. Long seen as a stoic, almost
statuesque figure, he emerges in these pages as a man both remarkable
and human thanks to newly discovered sources.
Set against the backdrop of five major conflicts--two world wars,
Palestine, Korea, and the Cold War--Marshall's education in military,
diplomatic, and political power, replete with their nuances and
ambiguities, runs parallel with America's emergence as a global
superpower. The result is a defining account of one of our most
consequential leaders.
