George Catlett Marshall

Marshall, George Catlett (1880–1959), U.S. general and politician. As chief of staff (1939–45) he influenced Allied strategy in World War II. As secretary of state (1947–49) under President Harry S. Truman, he introduced the European Recovery Program, or Marshall Plan, for which he was awarded the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize. As U.S. secretary of defense (1950–51), he was active in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

See also: Marshall Plan; North Atlantic Treaty Organization.