Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

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HBBBBBSBfiflB BBSfl BSBflBBi HHMHM General Maxwell Taylor, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, pays tribute to General Marshall Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, the First Lady of the United States States Distinguished Service Medal with first Oak Leaf Cluster and the Silver Star. In 1953, he received the Nobel Peace Prize, the highest civilian tribute paid to him. On 15 May 1951, on the occasion of Marshall Day, he was awarded the Virginia Distinguished Serv- ice Medal as well as having Marshall Arch in the VMI Barracks named for him. General Marshall died 16 October 1959, and buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His military and international achievements live on: the effects of the Marshall Plan are still being reape today by the Western world. As architect of victor over totalitarianism of the Axis powers and as architei of European recovery and stability following Worl : Mrs. George C. Marshall and General Maxwell Taylor observe the dedicatory ceremonies

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' resident Johnson, accompanied by Senator Byrd, arrives at the Vir- ginia Military Institute to pay tribute to General George C. Marshall ited, Always you have honored us by yourfrankness, armed us by your courtesy and inspired us by your tgleness of purpose and your selfless devotion to r common cause. Such praise and sincere tribute almost without parallel by military men. General Marshall ' s retirement, to Dodona Manor Leesburg, Virginia, was short-lived, for the next day e President requested him to serve as his Special presentative to China (with the rank of ambassador), arshall accepted the challenge of bringing order from chaos of war-torn China. Soon after reaching China, succeeded in bringing about a truce between the itionalists and the Communists. However, this truce on failed; General Marshall returned to the United ates, having failed to stem the Communist take-over China, conditions having become irreparable before ' arrived on the scene. A similar Communist challenge suld soon face him in Europe. In February of 1947, by special act of Congress anting permission, General Marshall became Secre- tary of State; he was the first man in the nation to occupy both the highest non-elective civilian and military posts. Being confronted in Europe by Communist ad- vances highly detrimental to our interests, Marshall developed a containment or counterattack which was to aid the destitute and oppressed peoples of Europe. It was presented in the form of the Marshall Plan, later to be known as the European Recovery Program. As a result of this project, America gave aid valued at $8,231,000,000 to a total of sixteen countries. This aid, the greatest contribution America has ever produced for the cause of world peace, is credited with bringing about the rapid recovery of Europe ' s economy and of preventing further Communist take-over in Europe. General of the Army Marshall, who had been retired from the Army in February of 1947, was restored to active duty in March of 1949. After resigning as Secre- tary of State, Marshall withdrew from political affairs to serve as president of the American Red Cross. In September of 1950, he returned to serve his country as Secretary of Defense; he retired from this position in September, 1951. After more than fifty years of service to the nation, General Marshall was ready to retire. Among the awards which he earned throughout the course of his distinguished career was the United

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' ar II, General Marshall rendered invaluable service to s nation. On the occasion of the dedication of the George C. arshall Research Library on 23 May 1964, President shnson, General Eisenhower, General Bradley, Robert Lovett, and numerous other dignitaries gathered to y additional tribute to the memory of General Marshall. ie New Market Medal was presented posthumously him by the Institute that he loved and served so well. President Johnson chose this occasion, honoring e developer of the Marshall Plan, to outline a major blicy of the United States. Stating that, Today we ant to carry on the vision of the Marshall Plan, Presi- ;nt Johnson proposed that: The nations of Eastern Europe are beginning to reassert their own identity. There is no single Iron Curtain. We will continue to build bridges across the gulf which has divided us from Eastern Europe. They will be bridges of increased trade of ideas, of visitors, and of humanitarian aid. This policy, hailed as a major shift of national interests and goals, will open new relationships to countries seeking increased independence yet unable to risk isolation. . . . open the minds of a new generation to the values and visions of the Western civilization from which they came and to which they belong; give free play to the powerful forces of legitimate nation- jrmer President Eisenhower, President Johnson, and General mar N.Bradley participate in the dedication of the Marshall Library General George R. E. Shell, Mrs. George C. Marshall, and Mr. Edmund Pendleton view the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets on parade al pride— the strongest barrier to the ambitions of any country to eliminate another; demonstrate that identity of interest and the prospects of progress for Eastern Europe lie in a wider relationship with the West. Continuing, President Johnson said, We are pledged to use every peaceful means to work with friends and allies so that all of Europe may be joined in a shared society of freedom. In this way, I predict the years to come will see us draw closer to Marshall ' s bold design than at any time since he stood at Harvard and began to reshape the world. Thus, George Catlett Marshall, VMI ' s most dis- tinguished graduate, in his life, his career, his char- acter, and, above all, in his devotion to his nation, epitomized the best that VMI can hope to inspire and instill. The homage paid to him as most distinguished graduate is at best a highly inadequate understate- ment. THE 1965 BOMB joins in expressing its admiration and tribute. This section of THE BOMB will, we hope, acquaint the reader with key contributions and attri- butes of General Marshall. His efforts continue to shape the world in which we live today.