George C. Marshall International Center

02/27/2020

It's officially #NationalRetroDay, but it's always Retro Day at Dodona Manor! Can you guess what this kitchen contraption from the 1950s does?

#trivia #retro #vintage #georgecmarshall #dodonamanor #kitchen

02/26/2020

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! George C. Marshall's Dodona Manor opens for public tours in FOUR DAYS! Our 45-strong volunteer docent team is excited to welcome thousands of new and returning visitors to the home of George and Katherine Marshall.

Our new mission is to bring to life the timeless values of selfless service and unwavering integrity of George C. Marshall to develop visionary leaders worldwide. We hope to welcome you on March 1st!

#gcmic #openingday #tours #historichousemuseum #georgecmarshall #leesburg #visitloudoun #loudouncounty #education #leadership

02/24/2020

Did you know Winston Churchill was an artist? Much like Marshall and his vegetable garden, Churchill painted landscapes to relax. In 1953, the Prime Minister gave one of his works entitled "View of Tenihir" to the Marshalls upon their visit to England for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

We hold a replica of the painting in the exact spot it was hung in Dodona Manor. You can see it by visiting us! Grab your tickets at www.georgecmarshall.org

#gcmic #painting #artist #georgecmarshall #winstonchurchill #history #arthistory #leesburg #england

02/20/2020

It's #NationalLoveYourPetDay and we can't help but love this good boy named NATO!

George C. Marshall received this 4-month-old elkhound puppy from the Norwegian Children. Norwegian schools were conducting an essay contest on NATO and the winner would travel to the U.S. and present the dog to Marshall. On July 11, 1951, Arnt Natland, winner of the essay contest (right), presented the dog, aptly named NATO, to Secretary of Defense Marshall at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #nato #dog #pet #goodboy #thepentagon #secretaryofstate #washingtondc #norway

02/19/2020

Dining Room of Dodona Manor

Dodona Manor is filled with timeless stories of one of America's greatest visionaries. We wonder what conversations may have taken place at the Marshalls' dinner table!

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #dodonamanor #diningroom #dinner #history #loudouncounty #leesburg #visitloudoun #stories #wwii #organizerofvictory

02/17/2020

Happy #PresidentsDay! Through his 49 years of service, George Marshall worked with many current and future US Presidents, including Wilson, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower.

Later in life, Truman was the only sitting president to visit Marshall at his home in Leesburg, Dodona Manor, on at least two occasions, once when he asked Marshall to be his Secretary of Defense.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #dodonamanor #wwi #wwii #president #roosevelt #truman #eisenhower #leesburg #loudouncounty #history

02/14/2020

#HappyValentinesDay from the George C. Marshall International Center! ❤️ #love

02/13/2020

Gardening and history at Gen. Marshall's estate in downtown Leesburg

Gardening and history go hand in hand at Dodona Manor. From Katherine Marshall's rose garden to General Marshall's vegetable garden, YOU have the opportunity to help us preserve the agricultural history of our site.

Thank you to the Loudoun Times-Mirror for this fantastic story!

https://www.loudountimes.com/entertainment/gardening-and-history-at-gen-marshall-s-estate-in-downtown/article_efd1da08-4836-11ea-91d0-cb34e5215b46.html

While the official start of spring is more than a month away, the staff and volunteers at Leesburg's George C. Marshall Center at Dodona Manor are already making plans for

02/10/2020

Happy 118th Anniversary to George and Lily Marshall! The couple married #OTD at the Coles's home next to the Virginia Military Institute.

Having met while he was a cadet, George often said he was "immediately smitten" upon meeting the young pianist. He often "ran the block," or left the barracks at night, to meet with her, a suspension-worthy offense at VMI. Lily and George were married for 25 years until her sudden death in 1927.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #weddinganniversary #marriage #anniversary #leesburg #lexingtonva #vmi

02/09/2020

We were honored to welcome Sergeant Bill Vitale for a special look at George Marshall's winter coat. Sgt. Vitale was only in his 20s when he was hired as Secretary of Defense Marshall's aide, and when Marshall received this coat, it was Bill's job to see that it was moth-proofed!

Today and every day, we salute Sgt. Vitale for his service to his country and to General Marshall.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #veteran #thankyou #secretaryofdefense #army

02/07/2020

During the hardest days of #WWII, George Marshall spoke of the importance of the readiness and care of the troops (pants included).

#gcmic #ww2 #troops #georgecmarshall #organizerofvictory #pants #clothing #uniforms #leesburg #army #military

02/05/2020

It may still feel like winter in Leesburg, but the flowers at Dodona Manor are ready for spring!

#gcmic #flowers #spring #georgecmarshall #nature #leesburg #visitloudoun #garden

02/02/2020

#OTD in 1902, George Marshall is commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Marshall later said after being stonewalled to take the officer's exam, he walked into the White House (without an appointment) and snuck into the Oval Office to have a meeting with President McKinley himself to state his case as to why he is qualified to be an officer. Amazingly, Marshall was soon approved to take the exam and passed.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #onthisdayinhistory #president #mckinley #whitehouse #ovaloffice #army #history #military

01/31/2020

It's #NationalHotChocolateDay and we'd love to pour some delicious cocoa into the Marshalls' 1950s mugs!

Feeling cold outside? Book a private tour at Dodona Manor and cozy up in the retro kitchen that is sure to bring back memories.

#gcmic #hotchocolate #kitchen #retro #1950s #vintage #coffeemug

01/30/2020

The Dodona Manor you visit today didn't always look quite as beautiful! After George and Katherine Marshall's death, the house was passed to their daughter Molly. In her older years, Molly couldn’t keep up with the maintenance and Dodona fell into great disrepair. Luckily, with the help of Leesburg citizens and dedicated historic preservationists, the only home of General George Marshall was preserved for future generations.

📷: Dodona Manor before restoration began, 2000.

#gcmic #historicpreservation #georgecmarshall #preservation #history #visitloudoun #architecture #leesburg #tbt

01/28/2020

Loudoun County Magazine

Thanks for the shoutout!

Are you looking to try something new✨ and experience meaningful connections in 2020? A wonderful way to feel connected to others and make a difference in your own life is to volunteer. In this "Get Connected" Guide, Loudoun County Magazine recommends volunteer opportunities based on your interests, from child/family to history/culture and animal lovers. Find your next big thing in Loudoun County--you'll be glad you did🙌
A Farm Less Ordinary Humane Society of Loudoun County Loudoun Cares George C. Marshall International Center Mobile Hope Touching Heart Heritage Farm Museum Of Loudoun County Claude Moore Recreation & Community Center Northern Virginia Diaper Bank Loudoun County Diaper Bank Waterford Fair Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program

http://www.loudouncountymagazine.com/generosity-connects/

01/27/2020

Between the world wars, Colonel George Marshall commanded the 15th Infantry Regiment in Tientsin, China from 1924-1927. American forces were sent to China shortly after the Boxer Rebellion to protect American interests. Marshall's wife, Lily, also tagged along and purchased many Chinese goods now on display in Dodona Manor.

1. Colonel Marshall in Tientsin, China, 1927.
2. Lily Marshall in China, 1927.
3. Detail of two laquer chests purchased while the Marshalls were in China.

#gcmic #china #georgecmarshall #infantry #army #1920s

01/23/2020

Every day we work to preserve George C. Marshall's Dodona Manor as a tribute to his unwavering patriotism and sense of duty. To support our continuing work, remember us in your estate plans or donate today at www.georgecmarshall.org

📷: General Colin Powell standing next to a portrait of General Marshall, 1992.

#gcmic #historichousemuseum #colinpowell #donate #history #preservation #georgecmarshall

01/21/2020

#OTD in 1947, at the dawn of the Cold War, George C. Marshall becomes Secretary of State. As President Truman watches the swearing in of the man who was already Army Chief of Staff and Presidential Envoy to China, Marshall enters his 45th year in public service.

Only months later did Marshall announce in a Harvard address his ideas for a European recovery program, one that would later be known as the Marshall Plan. The Secretary traveled hundreds of thousands of miles in his position to campaign for the Plan until it became one of the greatest pieces of American foreign policy in history.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #secretaryofstate #marshallplan #organizerofvictory #history #onthisdayinhistory #military #europe

01/20/2020

On this #MartinLutherKingJrDay, we celebrate the life of a civil rights leader whose candor and leadership led to equal rights for African Americans.

During #WWII, such rights did not exist for black soldiers and segregation was upheld by many high ranking officers in the military, including #Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. As Marshall said, “The existing policy [of segregation] has been proven satisfactory over a long period of years. It provides for a full percentage of colored personnel and a wide variety of military units. Our colored regiments have splendid morale, and their high percentage of reenlistments is evidence of the wisdom of the present system.”

The official army policy regarding blacks was spelled out in a September 27, 1940, letter from Marshall to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. The letter was drafted by Major Walter B. Smith, the General Staff officer at the time chiefly concerned with this problem. “It is the policy of the War Department not to intermingle colored and white enlisted personnel in the same regimental organization. The condition which has made this policy necessary is not the responsibility of the Department, but to ignore it would produce situations destructive of morale and therefore definitely detrimental to the preparations for national defense in this emergency." This policy would stand as many believed low moral would be detrimental to victory against the Axis.

In 1948, President Harry Truman passed Executive Order 9981 and officially desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces with support from then Secretary of State Marshall.

#gcmic #desegregation #segregation #history #president #military #martinlutherkingjr #civilrights

01/18/2020

General Marshall was an avid gardener who grew asparagus, beets that no one wanted to eat, lettuce, spinach, squash, carrots, eggplant, tomatoes and more. Marshall's garden is still very active today thanks for our volunteer gardeners. Last year alone, we donated more than 250 lbs. of fresh produce grown in our garden to Loudoun Hunger Relief.

If you would like to join our wonderful team of gardeners, we are looking for volunteers on Tuesday and/or Thursday mornings starting in April! Contact us at 703-777-1301 or at [email protected] if you are interested.

#gcmic #volunteer #garden #vegetables #support #museum #leesburg #visitloudoun

01/16/2020

This week we were pleased to host members of the American Battlefield Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our nation's sacred battlegrounds. Thanks for visiting us at Dodona Manor!

01/15/2020

It's #NationalHatDay and we think the Marshalls wore some of the best hats around. Do you know what Marshall's favorite hat was? A size 7.5 Stetson! Click to see some of George and Katherine Marshall's hats in the Dodona Manor Collection.

#gcmic #hatday #fedora #helmet #military #georgecmarshall #funny

01/14/2020

This month in 1949, George Marshall becomes the Chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission. In this role, Marshall presided over the construction of 14 cemetery-memorials in 8 countries for American soldiers from WWII. Thanks to Marshall, the ABMC collated and identified many of the once-unknown bodies, designed cemeteries, and commissioned works of civic art to create this powerful sense of awe and respect.

📷: Generals Marshall (right) and Ridgway (left) in France during the dedication ceremony for the first memorial in an overseas cemetery to fallen WWII service members, 1952.

#gcmic #abmc #georgecmarshall #france #cemetery #memorial #wwii #army #dedication #sacrifice #1950s

01/08/2020

From communists to junior officers to politicians, General Marshall had his fair share of critics. However, unwavering trustworthiness and loyalty to the task at hand proved many detractors wrong.

#gcmic #georgecmarshall #wednesdaywisdom #quote #famousquote #fivestargeneral

01/06/2020

It may be winter outside, but in Vassily Bukshayev's "Evening" it's always summer! This painting was given to General Marshall in 1947 by Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Union's Foreign Minister.

Although the two statesmen didn't see eye to eye, Marshall was indeed gracious in his thank you note. A replica of the painting now hangs in the living room of Dodona Manor.

#gcmic #painting #artwork #dodonamanor #georgecmarshall #molotov #sovietunion #history

01/05/2020

#OTD in 1948, Secretary of State George Marshall is chosen for a second time as TIME's Man of the Year. This awarding was due to Marshall's efforts to rebuild post-war Europe by advocating for the legislation that bore his name, the Marshall Plan.

The cover art, seen below, was created by Ernest Hamlin Baker, an American artist who illustrated over 300 covers for TIME Magazine.

#gcmic #magazine #art #portrait #georgecmarshall #architectofpeace #marshallplan #secretaryofstate #onthisdayinhistory

01/03/2020

#OTD in 1944, George Marshall is announced as TIME's Man of the Year and appears on the cover of the weekly magazine.

Marshall is shown as U.S. Army Chief of Staff and is credited with orchestrating the first peacetime draft that grew the army from 140,000 to over 8 million, preparing the US for war. The draft passed in Congress by only one vote.

#gcmic #wwii #georgecmarshall #organizerofvictory #army #military #timemagazine #magazine

01/01/2020

Happy New Year! 50 years ago this week, Katherine Marshall sent this letter to her good friend Elizabeth Coles wishing her a Happy New Year.

#gcmic #happynewyear #50yearsago #letter #archive

12/31/2019

Today marks the 139th birthday of a true American visionary, General George C. Marshall. Below is a rare and intimate photograph taken by Look Magazine in 1955 on the General's 75th birthday in his home, Dodona Manor.

Born in Uniontown, PA, Marshall attended the Virginia Military Institute and rose through the ranks of the military to become U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Special Envoy to China, Secretary of State, President of the American Red Cross, and Secretary of Defense.

Today, Marshall's legacy lives on through the integrity, character, and unwavering patriotism in today's leaders.

12/31/2019

A fitting tribute!

Tomorrow marks the 139th #BirthdayAnniversary of our namesake #GeorgeMarshall. We’re celebrating with some interesting facts about him as a U.S. Army five-⭐ General and statesman.

General George C. Marshall received the #Nobel #PeacePrize in a ceremony in #Oslo, #Norway on Dec. 10, 1953.

Marshall received the award in recognition of his efforts to restore the economies of #WesternEurope through the Marshall Plan. He was the first career military officer to receive this high honor for peace.

Marshall had served as Army Chief of Staff, as well as Secretary of State, during #WorldWarII. Prime Minister of the #UnitedKingdom, #WinstonChurchill lauded Marshall as the "organizer of victory" for his leadership of the #Allied victory in #WWII.

After the war, as Secretary of State, Marshall advocated a significant #US economic and political commitment to post-war #European recovery, what became known as the #MarshallPlan. The Marshall Plan set out to stimulate economic growth in a despondent and near-bankrupt post-World War II Europe, prevent the spread of #communism beyond the "iron curtain," and encourage development of a healthy and stable world economy.

Marshall had not only won the war, but also won the peace.

📸: Today, the prize is held at the George C. Marshall Museum & Library, but a replica is on display at #DodonaManor – George C. Marshall International Center
– on the same table that he always kept it.

Marshall, right, carries his medal after being presented with the Nobel Peace Prize at Oslo University. At left is President of the Norwegian Storting, Carl Joachim Hambro.

Marshall, hands clasped before him, receives the Nobel Peace prize from Gunnar Jahn, Nobel president.

World War II Memorial National World War II Memorial