This book was an excellent read. But you have to appreciate its intent and what other books offer.

First I think George Marshall was a brilliant soldier. Probably one of the smartest, if not the smartest, officer to hold General officer rank in the United States. The US is a better nation because of his contributions. I can’t visualize how exactly our involvement in World War II might have been different without him. But I can say that without Marshall, things would have been quite different and probably much longer.

Clearly there is a only limited amount of material to be found on any one person so each biography of the same person looks at the person with a different perspective.

I have read several biographies on Marshall or related topics (each with different focuses):

Marshall and His Generals: U.S. Army Commanders in World War II by Stephen R. Taaffe (A study of Marshall’s relationship with the 38 Corps Commanders and above during the war.)

Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace by Mark Perry (self-explanatory title)

There's a War to Be Won: The United States Army in World War II by Geoffrey Perret (While focused on how the US transitioned into and ran its various operations during the war, it provides a fascinating overview of Marshall as the central force and inspiration behind many of the Army’s activities leading to its impressive status at the end of the war.)

15 Stars: Eisenhower, MacArthur, Marshall: Three Generals Who Saved the American Century by Stanley Weintraub (self-explanatory title)

George C. Marshall: A General for Peace by Alan Saunders (A relatively short book, but it covers many of Marshall’s career highlights.)

Marshall, Hero For Our Times by Leonard Mosley (One of the better biographies on a WWII US general that I have read. Lots of detail.)

I found Cray’s book was very readable and one the better general officer biographies I have read. I do have some comments that temper this statement with reality:

I noted a couple of entries that seemed to repeat material and wording from other books. Not critical as there are probably a limited number of ways of saying the same thing. But I had the impression some entries were almost copy and paste from other books.

Each chapter discussed major phases or events in Marshall’s life and career. The first part of each chapter provides historical context and background for the subsequent presentation of Marshall’s actions. Some events are quickly covered or just not addressed. I found there to be a very fast leap from Winter of 43/44 to the June 1944 Normandy invasion. I am sure that Marshall was just as busy as Ike during this period, but nothing was mentioned about Marshall.

I prefer biographies that don’t dwell into the author’s personal opinions about their subjects. I noted a couple of statements that took opinion stances that probably were not needed in the book.

Overall still a very good book. Fills in some blanks and background that other books do not get into. Worth the purchase to read and add to my library. ( )

Obwohl ein Umfang von knapp 800 Seiten abschreckend wirken mag, versteht es der Autor, durch seine lebendigen Schilderungen an keiner Stelle Mühsal in der Lektüre aufkommen zu lassen. Dabei zieht das Werk ganz besonders seine Stärke aus dem Umstand, dass es sich nicht allein um eine Biographie über George C. Marshall handelt, auch wenn dies allein ausreichend Raum für intensive Erörterungen liefern würde. Vielmehr handelt es sich gleichzeitig um eine sehr umsichtige Darstellung der historischen Hintergründe und Zusammenhänge jener Zeiten, in denen Marshall wirken konnte. ( )

George Marshall is the organization man's poster boy and typically for organization men not very well known. As planner and organizer of the American victory, he oversaw the build-up of the US army and the creation of the US military industrial complex. US politics had, just as before the US Civil War and WWI, starved the US army of both men and resources, so that at the start of WWII, the US had a weaker army than Bulgaria. Marshall trained, staffed and equipped the US army for both WWII and the Cold War (against the opposition of a stingy, isolationist, irresponsible even unpatriotic Republican party).

Ed Cray's excellent biography shows the slow rise of Marshall within the army, a grinding struggle against a ossified command structure that preferred seniority over talent. Marshall was lucky in finding mentors who shielded him and exposed him to more and more demanding tasks. In WWI France, Marshall planned one of Pershing's logistically complex operations. As an officer instructor in the interwar years, he revolutionized US military education. As Chief of Staff prior and during WWII, Marshall built the US forces from scratch but is also partly responsible for the Pearl Harbour fiasco. The failed US-China policy stains Marshall's record. The US army poured enormous resources into the corrupt hands of fascist dictator Chiang "Peanut" Kai-Shek and alienated the US-friendly Communists. As US China emissary in post-WWII, Marshall was forced into the role of an unhonest broker that resulted in the creation of Communist China. As Truman's secretary of State, Marshall was more successful. He made the Marshall Plan (and thus European recovery and prosperity) a reality. Secretary of Defense during the Korean War, he did provide too few checks to the ego of General MacArthur but backed his removal.

Marshall's strength's were his devotion to work and duty, his excellence in planning and officer selection. His weaknesses were a reluctance to interfere when his subordinates ran into troubles and a political naivety towards the master manipulators Roosevelt, Stalin and Chiang Kai-Shek. It is a tribute to mankind that this hard-working, unassuming and quiet man prevailed over the pompous generalissimi. ( )