Marshall Museum

smmap

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.

Following the showing of an introductory video, you are free to conduct a self-guided tour of three main spaces. Marshall’s early years in Uniontown, Pennsylvania and at VMI in Lexington, Virginia are covered along with his Army service before and during World War I 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. It will be another highlight among many during your visit.

Europe’s Unlikely Recovery

January 2018 to June


Today, the Marshall Plan is frequently invoked by people desperate to find solutions to significant problems ranging from the refugee crisis in Syria to poverty in America’s cities. While the Marshall Plan is generally mentioned in these situations because of its unparalleled success in assisting people in need, not many people understand what the Marshall Plan was and the factors that contributed to its successful implementation.

This next sequence of the Marshall Legacy Series, Europe’s Unlikely Recovery, will explore how the idea for the Marshall Plan developed as an alternative after World War II to the harsh terms included in the peace treaty following World War I, how the Marshall Plan evolved from an idea that Marshall proposed in a speech into a fully functioning recovery program, and how Marshall played an important role in ensuring the plan bearing his name was successful.