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The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C. Marshall
A portrait of one of the greatest leaders of modern history, George Catlett Marshall (1880–1959), and a distillation of the essential lessons his formation offers to the leaders of today and tomorrow.
George Marshall’s accomplishments are after guiding the Allies to victory during World War II, he set Europe on the postwar path to recovery with the plan that bears his name and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. But how did he become such an effective leader?
By eschewing the years and accomplishments for which Marshall is most often remembered and focusing instead on the decisive moments that preceded them, The Making of a Leader provides the most detailed look yet at the mettle of Marshall’s character, from his arrival as a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute and his Fort Leavenworth days—where he “learned how to learn”—to his instructive time as John J. Pershing’s aide-de-camp and his critical experiences during World War I. Josiah Bunting III, a lifelong educator and former superintendent of Marshall’s alma mater, highlights the importance of Marshall’s activity between the wars, when he led “the single most influential period of military education” at Fort Benning, eventually culminating in his appointment as army chief of staff in 1939.
In this illuminating portrait, Bunting cuts through the legend of Marshall to the man—his frustrations, passions, loves, and brilliance—revealing a humble commander who knew not only how to lead but how to see the leader in others.
George Marshall’s accomplishments are after guiding the Allies to victory during World War II, he set Europe on the postwar path to recovery with the plan that bears his name and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. But how did he become such an effective leader?
By eschewing the years and accomplishments for which Marshall is most often remembered and focusing instead on the decisive moments that preceded them, The Making of a Leader provides the most detailed look yet at the mettle of Marshall’s character, from his arrival as a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute and his Fort Leavenworth days—where he “learned how to learn”—to his instructive time as John J. Pershing’s aide-de-camp and his critical experiences during World War I. Josiah Bunting III, a lifelong educator and former superintendent of Marshall’s alma mater, highlights the importance of Marshall’s activity between the wars, when he led “the single most influential period of military education” at Fort Benning, eventually culminating in his appointment as army chief of staff in 1939.
In this illuminating portrait, Bunting cuts through the legend of Marshall to the man—his frustrations, passions, loves, and brilliance—revealing a humble commander who knew not only how to lead but how to see the leader in others.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published March 19, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 10, 2024
The Making of a Leader was a featured book review in the Wall Street Journal. This book is essentially a prequel about the early life of one is America’s greatest soldiers, George C Marshall. Marshall’s led the United States to victory in World War 2. Winston Churchill noted that Marshall was the organizer of victory due to his superb managerial skills. According to the WSJ, “His secret was not innate genius but a near-superhuman ability to maximize his gifts through hard work and attention to detail. “ Marshall was also the creator of the Marshall which spent billions of dollars to rebuild Europe after the war.
Many times the author makes the point that Marshall was not gifted intellectually but thru tenacity and resolution, “once mobilized on behalf of ambition, could make such ambition formidable.” Marshall graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia with zero demerits. As a staff officer in World War 1, he was considered by many of his peers as having no equal in the army. One of his superiors even noted that he would like to serve under Marshall.
It is sad that most Americans do not know or even worse little care who George C Marshall was.
Many times the author makes the point that Marshall was not gifted intellectually but thru tenacity and resolution, “once mobilized on behalf of ambition, could make such ambition formidable.” Marshall graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia with zero demerits. As a staff officer in World War 1, he was considered by many of his peers as having no equal in the army. One of his superiors even noted that he would like to serve under Marshall.
It is sad that most Americans do not know or even worse little care who George C Marshall was.
November 28, 2023
"The Making of a Leader: The Formative Years of George C. Marshall" by Josiah Bunting III is a compelling exploration of the life and character development of one of America's greatest military leaders. Bunting skillfully navigates Marshall's early years, offering readers a nuanced portrait of the man who would shape the course of history.
The book delves into Marshall's upbringing, education, and the pivotal moments that forged his leadership skills. Bunting's writing is both insightful and engaging, providing a rich narrative that captures Marshall's resilience, intellect, and unwavering commitment to duty.
Bunting goes beyond mere biography, offering valuable lessons on leadership that are relevant across various domains. The author's meticulous research and thoughtful analysis paint a vivid picture of Marshall's journey, illustrating how his experiences shaped his principles and strategic vision.
"The Making of a Leader" is a masterfully crafted work that not only celebrates the life of George C. Marshall but also serves as an inspiring exploration of leadership and character development. Bunting's narrative prowess makes this book a must-read for those interested in history, leadership, and the indomitable spirit that defines great leaders.
The book delves into Marshall's upbringing, education, and the pivotal moments that forged his leadership skills. Bunting's writing is both insightful and engaging, providing a rich narrative that captures Marshall's resilience, intellect, and unwavering commitment to duty.
Bunting goes beyond mere biography, offering valuable lessons on leadership that are relevant across various domains. The author's meticulous research and thoughtful analysis paint a vivid picture of Marshall's journey, illustrating how his experiences shaped his principles and strategic vision.
"The Making of a Leader" is a masterfully crafted work that not only celebrates the life of George C. Marshall but also serves as an inspiring exploration of leadership and character development. Bunting's narrative prowess makes this book a must-read for those interested in history, leadership, and the indomitable spirit that defines great leaders.
June 17, 2024
I received this book as a giveaway. If you are a war history buff you will thoroughly enjoy this book. If you already know of George Marshall's achievements in WWII this book is an insight into what shaped his character. If you do not know why he is famous this book will not help you as it ends at the beginning of the war. This book gets 3 stars because I am a voracious reader of many different kinds of books and I still didn't understand a great many words. It almost felt like the author was just using all of the biggest most obscure words that they could find which made it feel more like a textbook than something the average person would want to read.
April 24, 2024
This is a great overview of General Marshall's early life and career. I grew up reading my father's collection of WWII books and came to recognize General Marshall as a true American hero. This country was fortunate to have him at a critical time in history. Sadly, I have never found the time to read a big, detailed biography of Gen. Marshall but I grabbed a copy of this book as soon as it came out. It was informative and interesting. I recommend it to anyone interested in Gen. Marshall's career and in the history of the pre-WWII American military.
June 30, 2024
I started reading this book and was somewhat unimpressed. Much of what I read was information that I knew from previous study. But the author moved beyond that to truly present Marshall’s career and training as preparation for his role in building an American army that would emerge victorious in World War II and then become the post war military enterprise that was and remains the envy of the world. This is a very wise and thoughtful book that, in the end, expanded what I knew of the man I believe to be one of the greatest Americans ever.
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March 16, 2024Review from WSJ 3/16/2024 by Jonathan W. Jordan: "Mr. Bunting conveys a keen sense of balance and perception. Keeping a focus on the big inflection points of Marshall’s life, the author does not turn every incident into a saintly miracle or salutary story. Offering context and interconnection, mixing warts and paeans, he ably narrates the grit and dedication that went into making an American leader."
November 22, 2023
George Marshall is well known for his accomplishments later in his career but how did he arrive at this point? Bunting answers this question with an excellent glimpse into Marshall’s early years. We see the forming of the soldier’s soldier that Marshall is. I would highly recommend this to those interested in military history.
August 19, 2024
Marshall is certainly a fascinating character and I dont know as much about him as I should. This book caught my eye as a different take on Marshall so I grabbed it. Fawning would seem the best description. Wordy too.
May 1, 2024
An exceptionally well written look at the life of what some may call America's other "indispensable man".
May 29, 2024
I'm always interested in what were the formative years like for the world's greatest leaders. Marshall's was quite interesting. He was a great man. I enjoyed the read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews