Following the showing of an introductory video, you are free to conduct a self-guided tour. Marshall’s early years in Uniontown, PA, at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA and his Army service before and during World War I are in the main lobby. The Organizer of Victory exhibit in the west wing focuses on General Marshall’s leadership, including his many innovations and contributions to winning World War II. The Soldier of Peace exhibit in the east wing features Marshall’s leadership after World War II. The Nobel Peace Prize he received in 1953 for his contributions to restoring the European economy through the Marshall Plan is on display
The lower gallery contains our Marshall Legacy Series exhibits, which change every six months.
The Foundation has told General Marshall’s remarkable story through various interpretations in the Marshall Museum. Although the exhibits have changed several times since its opening in 1964, one outstanding, original element remains today. The large “talking map” that dominates the west wall in the World War II wing remains a popular feature. It recounts the course of the war as Marshall could have explained it. The illuminated wall map was designed by the National Geographic Society, and the text was provided by Forrest C. Pogue, Marshall’s biographer. It will be another highlight among many during your visit.
Marshall Legacy Series Exhibit:
Winter’s Coming: The Cold War
January – June 2019
General George C. Marshall’s retirement as chief of staff of the U.S. Army following the conclusion of World War II marked the last time, as a military officer, that he led and oversaw soldiers engaged in direct combat. As a civilian serving as secretary of state, Marshall played a critical role in blocking Soviet expansion into Western Europe by skillfully employing the economic superiority of the United States through the Marshall Plan. When Marshall was appointed secretary of defense, he was in the unique position of serving in a civilian capacity while also overseeing the entire U. S. armed forces.
Marshall saw parallels between the new, complex global problems of the Cold War and his past experiences as both a military and civilian leader, and he relied on the approaches he had successfully employed in the past when deciding on the best response to current challenges. Despite only playing a direct role at the beginning of the Cold War, the actions that Marshall took and the views he expressed had a substantial influence on U.S. foreign policy throughout the decades-long conflict.
“It is unlikely that one hundred million Russians will succeed in holding down permanently, in addition to their own minorities, some ninety millions of Europeans with a higher cultural level and with long experience in resistance to foreign rule.” – Resume of the World Situation, November 7, 1947