— The Honorable Vernon Walters
Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the statue dedication
ceremonies April 30th, 1998, Garmisch, Germany
One of the great American statesmen of this century, George C. Marshall's
masterful leadership and foresight shaped the second half of the twentieth
century. Having played a crucial role during World War II, Marshall provided the
vision for the European recovery. He was instrumental in the creation of NATO
and in the resolution of the Korean War.
Marshall served in the U.S. Army from 1902 until 1947. As Chief of Staff of
the U.S. Army from 1939 to 1945 he was, in the words of Winston Churchill, the
“true architect of victory” in the West European arena of World War II.
From 1945 to 1946, Marshall spent a year in China as President Truman's
ambassador. He attempted, without success, to end the conflict between the
nationalists and the communists. His remarkable Army career was followed by
positions of great responsibility as he devoted his efforts to the cause of
international peace.
As Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949, his Marshall Plan became the vehicle
for the economic reconstruction of Europe. While Europeans endured unemployment,
dislocation, and starvation in the wake of World War II’s devastation, the
Marshall Plan embodied Marshall’s conviction that economic recovery and
stability were vital underpinnings to the successful rebuilding of a democratic
Europe. Marshall’s belief that America’s security and continued economic growth
were inextricably linked to Europe’s well-being formed the cornerstone of his plan.
With the assistance of the Marshall Plan, Western Europe began to recover
from the ravages of war. Marshall’s effort to include the Soviet Union and
Eastern Europe in this grand design was rejected by Moscow. As Western Europe
rebuilt, Europe was divided both economically and ideologically, and conflicting
politics soon laid the ground for another war—the Cold War.
When it became evident that the gap between Eastern and Western Europe would
not be bridged, and that the Western European states feared for their safety,
Marshall was one of the leaders who created NATO, which would ensure the
security of the West. The establishment of NATO in 1949 achieved a balance of
power in Europe that endured until the end of the Cold War. In his last official
position, as Secretary of Defense from 1950 to 1951, Marshall oversaw the
formation of an international force, under the United Nations, that turned back
the North Korean invasion of South Korea.
Although he spent most of his life in military service, Marshall is best
remembered as a true internationalist who sought peace for the world through
cooperation and understanding among nations. It was a fitting tribute to a
career devoted to this ideal that Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize in
1953. He is the only soldier ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The
principles of Marshall’s vision for post-World War II Europe are those which led
to the establishment of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security
Studies in 1993.
A statue of Marshall was dedicated at the Marshall Center on April 30, 1998.
Jointly sponsored by the George C. Marshall Center, the private organization
called the Friends of the Marshall Center, and the City of
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the work of art is the first known public statue of
Marshall erected in Europe. The larger-than-life statue depicts General Marshall
striding out into the community, through a parting iron curtain, past walls that
have been broken down. He is walking over a bridge, facing to the east and his
hand is outstretched in friendship. German artist, Christiana Horn of
Wartenburg, Bavaria, was the sculptor of the piece.
