Seventy-eight years ago today, on January 21, 1947 (December 30, 1946), George Marshall was appointed Secretary of State. George Marshall On January 21, 1947, General George Marshall became Secretary of State and promised never to seek the presidency. He succeeded James F. Berners, who resigned on medical advice in early January. General Marshall, a former Army chief of staff, was the main mastermind behind the defeat of Germany and Japan in World War II. He now faces the task of helping to draft a peace treaty. Asked if his new position will be more difficult than his position in the military, he replied: "Dealing with the military is what I do, and now I'm learning to do a new job."