Grim, Yet Hopeful

Marshall writes like the kind of man who's seen the best and the worst that human race has to offer. Maybe that's what happens when you live through two World Wars. Seriously, the point of the speech is that Europe has been pretty much bombed to rubble, and somehow things are worse than all that.

"In considering the requirements for the rehabilitation of Europe the physical loss of life, the visible destruction of cities, factories, mines and railroads was correctly estimated, but it has become obvious during recent months that this visible destruction was probably less serious than the dislocation of the entire fabric of European economy." (2.1)

Doesn't really get any more bleak than that, does it?

Yet he's not all doom and gloom. When Hitler first showed up and started annexing countries, or when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, those looked like insurmountable problems. Spoiler alert: they were surmounted. By a lot. So Marshall is used to looking at a problem that seems impossible and then solving the %$#@ out of it.

Check out how Marshall closes the speech:

"An essential part of any successful action on the part of the United States is an understanding on the part of the people of America of the character of the problem and the remedies to be applied. Political passion and prejudice should have no part. With foresight, and a willingness on the part of our people to face up to the vast responsibility which history has clearly placed upon our country, the difficulties I have outlined can and will be overcome." (8.1-3)

He's telling the audience that, yeah, it's bad. But we have this…because we're Americans. Then presumably he released a whole flock of bald eagles and chowed down on a freshly grilled burger.

Ha—just kidding. This was George Marshall, folks. Dude didn't have time for a burger; there was work to be done.

That's the thing about this speech. The message is that things are bad, but there's a solution. It's going to take some work, but they got this.