As
a soldier and statesman, Geroge C. Marshall had an amazing career - the first
Five Star General, the Chief of Staff of the world largest Army during wartime,
the only American to have been both Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense,
and President of the American Red Cross. But when he received the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1953, many people were surprised - how could a soldier win the highest
peace prize? Creating a better world is all about understanding and transformation
- understanding the root causes of the problems we face and transforming the system
that allows and even promotes conditions leading to war, violence, hunger and
poverty into a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. George C. Marshall knew
firsthand the horrors of war and believed we should do everything possible to
prevent wars from happening again. His planning is largely credited with winning
World War II, but he is mostly remembered for the Marshall Plan implemented while
he was Secretary of State after World War II. The Marshall Plan provided billions
of dollars of assistance to help rebuild war-ravaged Europe, and it was this that
won him the Nobel Peace Prize.
