There were moments president truman when marshall was a miserable failure at controlling his anger. The conversation between roosevelt and marshall it was december 5, 1943. The nature of marshalls character. He then came to the point. Do you want to command the overlord invasion. See mac at this time the british in the americans marshall knew that if he ask for it. Almost certainly roosevelt would give it to him. He didnt ask for it. Instead he told the president you should base the decision on whats best for the country and you should not consider my feelings. With that the president concluded that matter. He said to marshall. I could not sleep at ease if you were out of washington. That was the springboard to the presidency. Whether he coveted the overlord at command or whether he thought it was the best interest of the country for him to stay in washington we will never know what was actually going through his mind and what was true. His refusal to express the desire one way or another it was a profound act of selflessness that was the code that he lived by. A lifelong presbyterian have an apt proverb for his selflessness and his character. He who ruled his spirit is better than he that taketh a city. Setting aside selfmastery another hallmark of marshalls character is a word i had trouble pronouncing. That means highminded. Lack of resentfulness. Land for something or other. Great soul out of latin. When president truman was running for his first full term as president marshall braced himself to the heights as a leader he was locked in endless negotiations in paris with the soviets over the issue of the berlin crisis and how to present it to the un. He learned that truman about to undermine him. By sending a completely inexperienced envoy to negotiate directly with stalin. He couldve resigned. Instead, he considered the pressures that were on truman. Instead of getting a all helped up. Marshall wrote a note to truman i understand what is worrying you mister president im coming home immediately. This was on a grand scale. The mark of a great man. They say to test a mans character give him power and by gaining dominion over his gaining a measure of selfmastery marshall truly passed the test. Thank you. Questions. We have a few minutes for questions if anybody wants to step up here. What was his relationship to his other stepson. His name was clipped in. He was the older one. He have problems they went together to a prep school in virginia allen was the standout wrestler in football player. Kristen did not had bone spurs but Something Like that. I will say one thing about him now. He was a pr guy during the war. He did serve but he did not going to combat as far as i could tell. He seemed to be able to get everywhere. After the war i ran into this woman. I dont know how this happened. I talked to her on the phone. She tried out the lead actress in gone with the wind. She was a richmond beauty. I have some letters but in any event i was expecting that question. And i didnt write very much about it. That was one of the things that god set aside. Out of concern for the family and so forth it was not relevant. I did some work i have tremendous respect for him. I also developed an incredible respect for marshall as a strategist. He was the greatest general of the war. He vetted eisenhower for his service. Where the credit is due. I think the strategists are the ones that are the quiet guys behind the scenes. Marshall said this in world war i. He really wanted to command troops. He never really did command troops and values. He did basically get in combat in world war i. He never had command that is the ultimate test test of real pressure. I think in the terms of the kinds of pressure he faced in washington weeding out the old generals at the beginning of the war. There were very few that he was bringing up the young the young guys. The skin the pressures were on him all the time. Dealing with congress and all of the politicians he have Great Respect for macarthur. Even though macarthur may have. Marshall wasnt his best friend by any means. He supported macarthur. He supported that campaign. He have some brilliant moments in his battles. I think its a really hard thing to come to a conclusion on. I believe if marshall have been given commands he would have been as good or better than eisenhower. They always say eisenhower was a great politician. He have the presence of power that superseded it any day. He couldve pulled off the situation as well or better. His book on Harry Hopkins said he credits him for the appointment in relationship with roosevelt. It was mutt and jeff. Marshall have great effect for hopkins. He was a key gobetween between marshall and the present. He did not want to get too close to roosevelt. He did not want to socialize and did not want to get into that whole thing. Getting a sense of what roosevelts thinking was. I was hopkins. They traveled together right after the war in 1942. They have some friend dash make fun up in scotland. They wrote notes back and forth. He was just amazing. He was great friends with churchill. When he wanted to get married robert wrote him i hope you will look after this guy he has the worst habits. He so important to the country. He have great affection for the men. Marshall gets his reputation he showed his emotions with hopkins. Thank you very much david. Youre watching book tv