This is a man who has been described as follows:
In the years before World War I, he discovered that he was a natural teacher. He undertook many assignments as an instructor or a counselor to National Guard units in the Midwest and northeast. From the earliest days of his career he seemed to understand that future American wars would be prosecuted and won mainly by people who were not professional soldiers, but ordinary American citizens. They had to be made competent soldiers who simply understood what they had to do and were unafraid to do it. By the end of World War I, more than two million were in uniform. Only fifteen years before, the total enrollment in the American army had been twenty-eight thousand.
By now Marshall had made a reputation as a brilliant staff officer capable of great prodigies of training and logistics, and something else--man with an uninhibited compulsion, as the Quakers say, to speak truth to power. In World War II, he would regularly challenge President Roosevelt, always respectfully, always loyally, of course, but always forthrightly and boldly. Once during World War I, as a young major, he was outraged at General Pershing's criticism of his divisional commander, and spoke up, "in front of a horrified audience of staff officers," even laying a hand on Pershing's forearm as the general turned to leave.
His potentially career-ending public upbraiding of Black Jack Pershing in World War I is legendary. Black Jack Pershing, rather than busting him down and putting him on KP duty, brought him on as his aide.
His potentially career-ending public disagreements with FDR before and during World War II are also legendary. FDR found him so indispensable for his forthright honesty, however, that he refused to let Marshall go to Europe to oversee the war effort there. Marshall's trusted mentee, Dwight David Eisenhower, was sent instead.
The record soon showed that predictions of an early end to Marshall's career were widely premature. In the spring of 1939 Roosevelt began the search for a replacement for Army chief of staff General Malin Craig who was due to retire on 1 September. In April FDR decided for Marshall. Without informing anyone else, Roosevelt summoned Marshall to the White House to give him the news. "General Marshall," he said, "I have it in mind to choose you as the next Chief of Staff of the United States Army. What do you think of that?"
"Nothing, Mr. President," Marshall replied, "except to remind you that I have the habit of saying exactly what I think. And that, as you know," he added, "can often be unpleasing. Is that all right?"
Marshall recalls that Roosevelt grinned and said, "Yes." Marshall remained persistent. "Mr. President, you said yes pleasantly. But I have to remind you again that it may be unpleasant." The President continued to grin. "I know," he said. But he did not add "George."
At the outset of their relationship as commander-in-chief and chief of staff, the two men had staked out an area of understanding marked by candor. Marshall had not connived for the position (though he had coveted it) and he had neither covered up any of his views nor professed opinions that were not genuine. And to his credit, FDR had not invited any such behavior. The job of chief of staff came to Marshall without strings, with his integrity intact, and he was therefore positioned to provide his commander-in-chief candid advice insulated and independent from the wizardry of FDR's beguiling personality.
I don't mind saluting someone else who takes the lead.
But don't deceive me.
When I lead, I try to emulate George C. Marshall. If you're not on par with Black Jack Pershing or FDR, though, and if your ego cannot take candor with the salute, I'm probably not well-suited for your enterprise.
- Dave
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