TOPIC:
1947 – When the U.S. Took on Post-War Leadership
General Marshall was appointed Secretary of State by President Truman in January 1947. That year marked the beginning of the “Cold War” in earnest. Britain stepped back from its leadership role in international affairs and the United States stepped up. George C. Marshall played a critical role in these developments during his first six months in office, ably seconded by several key individuals at the State Department. This period set the stage for the next 40+ years of American foreign policy until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY
J. Brinton Rowdybush retired from the State Department in 2011 after more than 20 years as a foreign service officer. His overseas tours were in Mexico, France (twice), Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. He was the U.S. Consul in Bordeaux from 2004-2007 and taught international relations and European politics at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from 2007-2009. His Ph.D. is in Political Science from UC Berkeley.
EVENT DETAILS
Off Duty is an outdoor speaker series hosted by the George C. Marshall International Center. Each event features a speaker discussing a topic that touches on history adjacent to George C. Marshall and the times in which he lived. The events run around 90 minutes long, with light refreshments and opportunities for networking before and after the discussion.