Succeeding generations must not be allowed to forget his achievements and his example.
WINSTON CHURCHILL
George C. Marshall was a man whose contributions to our nation and the world cannot be overstated. His honesty, integrity, and selfless service stand as a shining example and inspiration for generations to come.
The George C. Marshall Foundation perpetuates Marshall’s legacy through scholarship, leadership, and facilities (including a research library) that offer a wide range of resources and materials for use by the general public, amateur historians, scholars, and students of all ages.
Source: Bettman via Getty Images
If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known.
GEORGE
REPORT OF THE U.S. ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF, 1945
C. MARSHALL BIENNIAL
Why Marshall will always Matter
A MESSAGE FROM PAUL LEVENGOOD
GEORGE C. MARSHALL FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
Without a doubt, George C. Marshall is a man to be admired, commemorated, studied, and emulated.
As a soldier, he built and directed the largest army in history, which required the skills of a tactician, logistician, commander, and diplomat. As a statesman, his vision guided the Marshall Plan—the largest humanitarian effort in history—rebuilding Western Europe, while simultaneously boosting the U.S. economy.
Marshall’s strength of character, which encompassed integrity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to the responsibility of service, continues to inspire us to live to a higher standard. Since 1953, the George C. Marshall Foundation has dedicated itself to upholding and sharing his legacy.
This poster of clasped hands helped promote the Marshall Plan’s mission to generate cooperation among countries in Western Europe.
ROTC cadets gather around Gen. Marshall’s map table in the
Robert A. Lovett Reading Room.
It is hard to believe that a man familiar with the history of the centuries could fail to guide his course somewhat by the lessons of the past.
GEORGE C. MARSHALL HEADMASTERS ASSOCIATION, 1923
INTERPRETING HIS LEGACY
Lessons
of the Past
The heart of the Foundation lies in its research library and archives that cover George C. Marshall’s distinguished career as an army officer and public servant. Housing some 300 discrete collections totaling nearly two million letters, memoranda, maps, and photographs, the materials offer a front-row seat to some of the most important historic events of the mid-20th century.
Taken as a whole, the collection constitutes one of the most important sources of any study of the United States, encompassing World Wars I and II, the U.S. military, the Cold War, and diplomacy. Over the years, thousands of researchers—from university professors and graduate students to journalists and professional writers—have consulted these primary sources, resulting in books, articles, documentary films, and
other works that have contributed to a better understanding of Marshall and his times.
To broaden access, the Foundation is undertaking a multi-year effort to digitize and publish the complete George C. Marshall Papers, scanning and cataloging hundreds of thousands of documents.
Phase One, focused on Marshall’s service as Army Chief of Staff from September 1939 through the end of World War II, is now live, with future phases to add materials from his early career, his work as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, and his retirement. As this searchable online archive grows, it will give researchers, students, and the public worldwide direct access to one of the most important documentary records of modern American history.
PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION
Great Fundamentals
I believe our students must first seek to understand the conditions, as far as possible without national prejudices, which have led to past tragedies and should strive to determine the great fundamentals which must govern a peaceful progression toward a constantly higher level of civilization.
GEORGE C. MARSHALL
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE ADDRESS, 1953
Learning history from textbooks, as Marshall believed, tells only “a portion of the truth.” And while he never wrote an autobiography, much can be gleaned about his character and leadership through his personal and public documents. Two ongoing programs at the Foundation serve to pass along Marshall’s legacy to the rising generation.
Launched in 1975, the Marshall Undergraduate Scholars Program has brought students from across the country to engage in an in-depth study of George C. Marshall’s life, strength of character, and leadership during times of war and peace. Selected from a competitive field, these young scholars produce a paper, and one receives the prestigious Larry I. Bland Prize and is considered for publication in the Foundation’s magazine, marshall.
Since 2023 the George C. Marshall Foundation Summer Teachers Institute has brought secondary school history teachers to Lexington, Virginia, for intensive four-day summer seminars on Marshall and the American century, combining expert lectures, workshops, and research time to produce classroom-ready lesson plans. Strengthening teachers’ knowledge and instructional tools, the Institute helps ensure future generations engage with Marshall and his world with greater depth and nuance.
Participants at the 2025 Summer Teachers Institute during a lecture.
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
Power to Inspire
The Foundation considers a key part of its mission is to stay connected to the general public though guided tours of history and by celebrating those who embody Marshall’s defining characteristics.
THE MARSHALL LEGACY SERIES
Featuring leading scholars and authors, the George C. Marshall Legacy Series is one of the Foundation’s most popular public programs, with lectures and events centered on key themes, events, and episodes in Marshall’s life, which touched nearly every major development of the mid-twentieth century. Presented to audiences in Lexington and streamed live to viewers around the world, the series has brought Marshall to the public for over a decade.
THE
GEORGE C. MARSHALL FOUNDATION HUMANITARIAN AWARD
This award recognizes an individual or organization for significant humanitarian service. It creates public awareness of the accomplishments of the recipient and encourages others to emulate their good works. In 2022, the award went to Kenneth C.Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel. Past recipients include David Rubenstein and Michael R. Bloomberg.
THE GEORGE C. MARSHALL FOUNDATION AWARD
The Foundation bestows its highest award on those who embody the principles of selfless service, unwavering integrity, and visionary leadership that characterized the life and example of George C. Marshall. The award celebrates those who have made a significant contribution internationally to ameliorate “hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.”
In 2022, in honor of the Marshall Plan’s 75th anniversary, the award went to the 66th Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (pictured opposite). Past recipients have included Madeleine Albright, George H.W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Helmut Kohl.
We are young in world history, but these ideals of ours we can offer to the world with the certainty that they have the power to inspire and to impel action.
