In August 1945, with the surrender of Japan, World War II ended in the victory of the Allies. If there is anyone who has received the most "dividends" in this war, it must be the United States. It has changed from the number one economic power before the war to a military and economic hegemon with global influence. Among them, Roosevelt's "foresight" is indispensable.
Of course, there is another person who also plays a great role, that is, the chief of staff of the US Army, Marshall, in the six years of his term of office, he has evolved the second-rate national force of 130,000 people into a military power with various advanced weapons and a number of nearly 10 million people. Just when he was successful, he asked to retire, why is this?
In his view, the mission of the military is over and should be withdrawn from the stage of history.
As a Marshall who experienced two world wars, 44 years of military career, dedicated his life's work to the military profession. Although he never personally led the troops to charge, or even let go of a shot, he was the army chief of staff that the Americans could not do without. The war was over, and his choice to retire was also a gesture.
First of all, grasp the nodes and complete the handover of the new and old chiefs of staff. He was well aware of the U.S. wartime system, and once it returned to normal, the position of army chief of staff must be at the center of politicians' "you grab and fight." As a 65-year-old veteran, it is only a matter of time before he "disarms and returns to the field", and how to arrange "posthumous matters" is something he must consider.
A week after Japan's surrender, Marshall submitted his resignation to President Truman and proposed that Eisenhower take over his post. This decision, which surprised everyone, could not only give no one an opportunity to take advantage of the handover, but also ensure that the army building could be "in the same vein" without being influenced by politicians.
Second, not relying on the old and selling the old will bring trouble to the new government. As military advisers in the Roosevelt era, they knew each other very well and worked tacitly. When Truman took over, the war was not over, and Marshall had to "stand guard" to help the new president. Although Truman was grateful for his help, there was no guarantee that he would be "dependent" after the war.
As an "old man" in the army, Truman still respected him very much, and on some issues, he would definitely care about his feelings and affect decision-making, so it was better to take advantage of the present "accept what is good" and not add trouble to the new government. In doing so, instead of attracting people's dislike, he will also praise him for taking care of the overall situation, not relying on the old and selling the old, and getting a good reputation.
More importantly, the huge army after the war must be dismantled, and all the soldiers are watching him. For a soldier who has worked all his life, taking off his uniform is a "very sad thing." But Marshall had to do so, not only to embody the natural law of survival of the fittest in the troops, but also to demonstrate the role of "giving way to new people".
Marshall's resignation caused an uproar in the country and became the focus of social attention.
The news of Marshall's resignation went away, and people wondered what he would do. His followers, across the country, set off a campaign to support his candidate for the next presidency, which was categorically rejected. People who had had opinions about him in the past were also puzzled at this time and secretly admired him.
Of course, many people thought he would hide in some quiet place and write a memoir. This allowed savvy publishers to "sniff out" business opportunities, and they approached Marshall, hoping to write a book about his life experience and promising a high honorarium. To their disappointment, Marshall politely declined, citing:
First, according to his character and principles of life, the memoirs must be true and well-founded, and the people and events in them are complex and wonderful, especially the government's political decisions and means, as a firm supporter of "military personnel are not involved in politics", he will not comment on national politics, and unfounded "state the facts";
Second, many of the parties in the memoirs are his old friends and subordinates, and some of them are still the heroes who dominate the fate of the United States, and the enmity and resentment between them cannot be clearly explained in one or two sentences, and once the text is formed, it will cause many unnecessary troubles;
What's more, after he resigned, he only wanted to take a rest, accompany his family, and enjoy his old age. Mrs. Marshall had already bought The Dona Estate in Virginia, where they would water the flowers and plant the land, enjoy free time, and live the common people's lives. Marshall has been fighting all his life, and it is time to take a break.
Truman was reluctant to let him go, and after the war, a lot of thorny problems needed to be dealt with by Marshall, but he had already decided. On November 20, 1945, after Eisenhower took over, Truman awarded him the Oak Leaf Medal at his farewell ceremony, the only medal Marshall had accepted during World War II, and he had rejected the previous medal.
In fact, Truman had no reason not to let Marshall retire. He has made unparalleled contributions to the interests and victories of the country, and now he wants to resign and retire, which is a legitimate reason. After the ceremony, Truman assured Marshall that "you will not be disturbed by your retirement, and you have the right to rest."
But things were far from simple, and just a week later, his new appointment came.
In the post-war world, the people of all countries, including the United States, are eager to recuperate and build a homeland, but the Nanjing government's move to provoke a civil war involves the sensitive nerves of the Americans. They do not want to intervene by force, but can only hope to send special envoys to mediate the contradictions between the two sides and try to avoid the outbreak of civil war. Who acts as the special envoy? Truman was the first to think of Marshall.
First of all, Marshall was a hero of the United States in World War II, and his reputation at home and abroad was very high. Especially during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he actively supported Stilwell's work and threaded the needle for the joint operations between the Kuomintang and the Communists, and his reputation was very good. Moreover, sending such a "big figure" as a special envoy also shows the importance attached by the US Government, and its weight is not light.
Second, sending Marshall would not provoke resistance and resentment among the Soviets. During the war, his impartiality and democracy impressed the Soviet High Command, believing that he was fair and without any political prejudice, and could do the job. Of course, the Soviet side also has the same idea as the US side, hoping that Marshall can mediate successfully.
More coincidentally, in 1924, under the arrangement of General Pershing, Marshall came to Tianjin to serve as the acting regimental commander of the 15th Infantry Regiment. 3 years of overseas garrison life made him very fond of the long-standing Oriental culture, and became a very rare "China pass" in the US military circles. He is the most suitable candidate.
When Truman dialed the phone, he said guiltily: "I just promised last week that I would never disturb your retirement, but the situation is urgent, can you be willing to go to China?" Marshall hesitated for a moment and replied, "Yes." In this way, Marshall came to China again, and although he tried to promote peace talks, he did not succeed.
Afterwards, many people thought that Marshall should not go, saying that he was selling his reputation and wanting to make a splash. Obviously, such an evaluation is unfair, and his push to let the Allied commander-in-chief, twice give up the rank of field marshal, and refuse to compete for the presidency after the war, is a good example of how he is basically a professional soldier who does not like to show his face.
As for Marshall's mediation in China, it was entirely out of the obedience of a soldier and his loyalty to the country, which was also the basis for him to win people's respect and trust. "The country has difficulties, and the soldiers should wrap their bodies in the horse and repay the country with their deaths", which is due to the integrity of the soldiers, and there is no utilitarian benefit in it.
What do you think? Comments and discussions are welcome.
bibliography:
World War II, Marshall
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