George C. Marshall International Center

04/13/2020

Leaders aren't born...they are [self] made. Great leadership takes much initiative, and George C. Marshall exhibited plenty of it from his earliest days. When he graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1901, it was not guaranteed that he would commission into the US Army as a first lieutenant (like it was a given for his counterparts at West Point). So, what did he do? He took matters into his own hands, went to Washington DC without appointment, and found a way to meet with President McKinley himself.

The rest, as they say, is history. #lessonsinleadership

Read the story here, as written by the The George C Marshall Foundation: https://www.marshallfoundation.org/blog/marshall-commissioning-army/

04/12/2020

The GCMIC family wishes everyone celebrating a very happy Easter!

Even before General Marshall retired and lived at Dodona Manor full time, he and Mrs. Marshall would typically entertain family here every Easter, starting in 1941. And, when in Leesburg, the Marshall family attended St. James' Episcopal Church. #HolidayFacts

04/11/2020

Exactly five months ago today, we held our 15th Annual Veterans Day commemoration at Dodona Manor, where keynote speaker Admiral T. Joseph Lopez, USN (Ret.), delivered a riveting address that honored veterans of all generations and military branches. It was also in this speech that Admiral Lopez called Marshall “perhaps our greatest ever soldier-statesman of modern history,” and emphasized the importance of keeping Marshall’s spirit alive through Dodona Manor. (To watch a recording of Admiral Lopez’s speech from this event, visit: loudounnow.com/2019/11/11/video-veterans-day-commemoration-2019)

To learn more about inspiring leadership for generations to come, here: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline.

04/10/2020

Today is National Siblings Day! Here is a photograph of George C. Marshall with his older brother, Stuart, and his older sister, Marie. We hope you can enjoy your siblings today, even in quarantine. #flashbackfriday

04/09/2020

Did you know that Dodona Manor was originally called 'Oak Hill'? Since there were so many other properties known as Oak Hill in Virginia, Marshall renamed it, choosing to call it 'Dodona Manor.'

Why Dodona? Marshall was a reader of Greek literature, and, ..."at Dodona, in northwest Greece, stood an ancient oracle of Zeus. People wrote questions on lead tablets, and priests heard the answers in the rustling of a sacred red oak tree's leaves." #ThirstyforknowledgeThursday

(source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2001/05/13/a-general-and-a-gentleman-marshall-kept-low-profile-at-dodona-manor/7e1a952c-8d5f-4c63-a04a-d1a5cf7ce22e/)

Pictured here is the 'For Sale' sign that stood outside of Dodona Manor while it was on the market in 1941. Katherine Marshall actually plucked this very sign from the yard of what was then known as 'Oak Hill' to deter other potential buyers of the property before it officially became the Marshall home.

04/08/2020

A perspective on leadership from President Harry S. Truman (who appointed George C. Marshall Secretary of State in 1947)... Who has been able to motivate you to do something enthusiastically that would have otherwise seemed unappealing? #WednesdayWisdom #foodforthought

(To fuel this kind of leadership, check out all the ways to join us as a GCMIC member: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline)

04/07/2020

It's #TourTuesday! Pictured here is a Dodona Manor #touristfavorite: the Marshall library. Here Marshall kept all genres of books, even keeping some that belonged to his first (late) wife, Lily.

It was also in this room that Marshall displayed the Nobel Peace Prize he won in 1953 for his work on the Marshall Plan (...and Marshall remains the only career officer in the United States Army to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize).

To learn more about GCMIM and Dodona Manor (in two minutes), visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BevHD73NIhEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BevHD73NIhE.

04/06/2020

Planned Giving — George C. Marshall

Being an effective leader means making decisions every day with careful analysis, and without getting bogged down.

George C. Marshall had to make innumerable decisions in his lifetime, often choices that impacted the nation at large. His decision to use an early version of, what we now know as the Jeep, as an Army vehicle during World War II has some historians calling Marshall, "Father of the Jeep."

Now that’s big impact from a seemingly insignificant decision. After all, can you go a day on the road without seeing a modern day version of the #Jeep? #lessonsinleadership

*Join us in keeping Marshall’s life and history alive, inspiring leadership for generations to come and please consider including George C Marshall International Center in your estate planning: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/planned-giving

Thank you for your interest in the George C. Marshall International Center’s Harrison Heritage Circle. The Circle is named for B. Powell Harrison, the visionary Leesburg businessman who led the effort to rescue and restore the Marshalls’ beloved Dodona Manor.

04/05/2020

Today is #PalmSunday, a day the Episcopalian Church (and other Christian denominations, of course) celebrates every year, the Sunday before Easter. Any Palm Sunday that George C. Marshall wasn't on official travel, he would likely have been at a church service (even when he was still actively serving in the Army, he often attended Army chapels as an example to his soldiers).

Here's one of Marshall's more famous quotes about his Episcopalian faith!

Want to join us in inspiring leadership and sharing selfless service? Please consider including George C Marshall International Center in your estate planning: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline)

04/04/2020

Donate Stock — George C. Marshall

Katherine and George Marshall were both gardening aficionados. Katherine loved her roses and #theGeneral found it cathartic to get his hands dirty, working with mulch and soil. Perhaps it is because gardening is so symbolic... you have to "water" and #invest in anything for long-term success. They did a great job, too... #DodonaManor is still known for its glorious gardens!

There are so many ways for you to help keep Dodona Manor blooming for the community for generations to come (literally and figuratively). Among other ways, you can always donate stock: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donate-stock

04/03/2020

The Marshall Plan — George C. Marshall

Another #thisdayinhistory there's no way we could go without mentioning!

On 3 April 1948, President Truman (seen here) signed the Economic Recovery Program (#TheMarshallPlan) into law. Read more about #TheMarshallPlan here: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/the-marshall-plan

To help us advance ethical leadership and inspire generations to come, join us here: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline

As Secretary of State, Marshall had an enlightened and visionary attitude toward dealing with Europe after World War II. The world wanted to punish and punish harshly –particularly Germany. Yet Marshall believed that to support and stabilize Europe, a conciliatory approach to reconstruction, inclu...

04/02/2020

On #thisdayinhistory in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to send American troops into World War I to fight Germany. In doing so, he stated, "...The challenge is to all mankind. Each nation must decide for itself how it will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a moderation of counsel and a temperateness of judgment befitting our character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feeling away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion."

On this very day in history, George C. Marshall was a 36-year-old Army officer who would soon play a vital role in mobilizing American troops in France during what we now call World War I. Pictured below is Marshall at the end of World War I, in France.

We are currently going through another "challenge to all mankind." May we meet it with the same level of honor and grace as did the great Americans of the World War I (and II).

(To inspire this caliber of leadership for generations to come, please consider donating during this international crisis: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline.)

04/02/2020

Today's #WednesdayWisdom from George C. Marshall is a reminder to keep your sense of humor, even when a world crisis is still not completely resolved (after all, VJ day wasn't until August 1945).

The background of this quote is: Maintaining the Leesburg Dodona Manor property and staffing it were constant challenges for the Marshalls, which sometimes -- and in this case -- brought out a humorous side of Marshall (appropriate for sharing on #AprilFoolsDay).

Learn more about #GCMIC and join us in inspiring leadership and keeping history alive, visit https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline.

03/31/2020

Pictured here is George C. Marshall's desk, in his Dodona Manor study. Among all the things he did here and all the revelations he may have had in this very seat, it was here that he definitely wrote many letters to his stepchildren (perhaps a little different than your work-from-home setup, and how you're communicating these days with your loved ones). #TourTuesday

For the full virtual tour of #DodonaManor, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A--EKxs1A1A&fbclid=IwAR3tmny1V0Nd3TFrRoMMm1exo3RTd6Rthvo5UFQSm7T9UXS0i5x7qa9qkls.

03/30/2020

One of our fantastic docents, Col. Bill Brooks (U.S. Army, ret.) succinctly determined George C. Marshall's leadership principles and practices. In a nutshell, here are the great eight:

1. Selflessness: serving the greater good
2. Integrity: doing the right thing
3. Action: mastering every situation - both during crises and otherwise
4. Candor: speaking your mind
5. Preparation: laying the groundwork for every situation you can plan for
6. Learning and Teaching: sharing your knowledge and being open to others
7. Fairness: choosing and rewarding the right people
8. Caring: supporting the troops, those for whom you are responsible

Pictured here is Marshall in 1947, being sworn in to one of the many #leadership roles he took on throughout his life: Secretary of State in President Harry S. Truman's cabinet.

03/29/2020

We know that quarantine isn't all fun and games, but even George C. Marshall took advantage of unstructured time to play some games... we hope you're partaking in some of your favorite board and card games these days, too! #Canasta, #checkers, #dominos, anyone?

03/28/2020

It's a #marshallquoteSaturday! This is a favorite of Cody Youngblood, our Director of Museum Operations. #followthestars

03/28/2020

Schools have been closed for a full week, and over the last few days, life as we know it has drastically changed.

In trying times, we think #GeneralGeorgeCMarshall would remind us not to discard the goals we set before this national health crisis, but to see this as a time to carve out another path toward achieving them. #leadershipmentality

03/27/2020

We miss our visitors! Not only do you keep the spirit of George C. Marshall alive; the money we receive in exchange for tours is integral to sustaining Dodona Manor. And, since Marshall played such a significant role in American -- and world -- history, we hope to keep his legacy in Loudoun County for generations to come.

Here are a couple ways you can help until we open our doors again:

1. Make a one-time donation in any amount: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E348631&id=14

2. Explore membership with the George C. Marshall International Center: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/donateonline

*Every* donation is both tax-deductible and crucial for us to be able to carry out our mission. Thank you!

03/25/2020

Today is National Medal of Honor Day, a holiday that George H. W. Bush signed into action in 1991, to honor all of American history's Medal of Honor recipients, and their great service and sacrifice to our nation.

Here's a picture from 22 January 1943, of President Franklin D. Roosevelt awarding Brigadier General William Wilbur the Medal of Honor in Casablanca, French Morocco. NOTE George Marshall and George Patton in the background, assisting the President. #NationalMedalofHonorDay

03/24/2020

World War II ravaged Europe in a way that was hard to comprehend in the United States. As we all know, it was George C. Marshall who spearheaded the plan to put western Europe back together in its aftermath, with #TheMarshallPlan. For a #historyrefresh, through #TheMarshallPlan, the US poured $12 billion (equivalent to well over $100 billion today) into economic recovery programs across Western Europe.

With COVID-19 ripping through the world, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is channeling Marshall's thinking, urging the #EuropeanUnion to consider a very #MarshallPlan-like plan to rebuild the entire EU when the world is finally in full recovery mode.

Read about #coronabonds here: https://english.elpais.com/politics/2020-03-23/spanish-pm-calls-on-european-union-for-a-marshall-plan-and-coronabonds.html

What are your thoughts??

03/23/2020

Who is Dr. Anthony Fauci? The coronavirus expert advising President Trump, America

It would be impossible to overstate the importance of leaders in the science and medical communities today. Here's an interesting article about Dr. Anthony Fauci, the esteemed immunologist who serves as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and as a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force addressing the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.thestate.com/news/coronavirus/article241437741.html

#leaderstoday

Dr. Fauci has been a pioneer in battling epidemics for decades.

03/22/2020

POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES: Marshall's Mission

Did you know that George C. Marshall was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine multiple times? And twice in March. Once on the edition dated March 25th, 1946, and then once on the March 10th, 1947 issue.

...For a very interesting contrast between #thenandnow, look at the most recent cover of TIME.

#all3pictured

(To read March 1946 cover story, 'POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES: Marshall's Mission', visit: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,888135,00.html)

03/20/2020

[POSTPONED] Book Club (April) — George C. Marshall

In times of #quarantine, there is a lot of time for reading! Our in-person #bookclub meetings are on hold, so, perhaps that just gives us all more of an opportunity to start and finish April's book (if you haven't already)!

In 'The Ambassadors: America's Diplomats on the Front Lines,' author Paul Richter shares the astonishing, true-life stories of four expeditionary diplomats who “do the hardest things in the hardest places.”

https://www.georgecmarshall.org/events/book-club-april

[POSTPONED] The Ambassadors, America’s Diplomats on the Front Lines by Paul Richter

03/19/2020

It's the #firstdayofspring, and it is beautiful weather outside! What also makes us feel warm and fuzzy is remembering times like our last year's #RedCross #bloodrive (something that really would have made [former Red Cross president] #GeneralMarshall proud!)

#tbt

03/18/2020

Did you know that George C. Marshall remains one of only nine American military generals to earn #fivestars?

He is also one of only five #fivestargenerals who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

An interesting article on this: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Notable-Graves/Prominent-Military-Figures/Five-Star-Officers

03/17/2020

Dodona Manor may be closed to the public, but our mission to allow the world to virtually visit Dodona Manor and learn about George C. Marshall's life and legacy will continue digitally!

Take a virtual tour of General Marshall's home by visiting our Youtube channel or our website.

Click the link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A--EKxs1A1A

03/17/2020

9 Ways To Stay Positive During The Coronavirus Pandemic

It is during uncertain times like these that strong, admirable leaders emerge.

Here's a great article from Forbes on how to remain mentally positive during this time: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2020/03/15/9-ways-to-stay-positive-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/#949a55a5a8ee

Since Loudoun County is made up of so many small businesses, we especially love #5. Let us know which local business you plan on supporting, and how??

When you can't escape the constant news of the coronavirus, you need an antidote so that you can keep your positive attitude and march forward with determination and hope.

03/14/2020

It's #PiDay but instead of celebrating the formula, we're licking our lips at some delicious pies! Here is a recipe for a mouth-watering fruit cocktail eggnog pie from one of the Marshalls' cookbooks. Mmmm!

#gcmic #pieday #eggnog #pie #food #dessert #georgecmarshall #leesburgva #vintage

03/13/2020

To Our Community,

Here at the George C. Marshall International Center, we are joining our government officials in taking action to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

In an act of abundance of caution, George C. Marshall’s Dodona Manor and the Education Center will be closed to the public until April 10th in coordination with our County Government’s decision to close public schools.

We are committed to doing our part to ensure public safety and will keep you informed when we determine it is appropriate to reopen the home and center to the public.

While this closing may cause significant disappointment to our guests and visitors, we must act in a responsible manner consistent with the values we represent and hold dear. We appreciate your understanding, patience and flexibility during this time. Together, we will overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Sincerely,

The Entire team at The George C. Marshall International Center