Former Residence of George C. Marshall

Former Residence of George C. Marshall

The former residence of George C. Marshall is located at No. 5 Ninghai Road, Gulou District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.

The building was constructed in 1936 by Nanjing Jincheng Bank and co-designed by famous architects Zhao Shen, Chen Zhi, and others. In 1937, it housed the office of the Nanjing branch of the Central Trust of China, an American-affiliated organization, and was then called the "Jincheng Bank Villa." It later served as the headquarters of the "International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone." After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the building became the official residence of U.S. President’s Special Envoy George C. Marshall and once served as an important site for peace talks between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. The structure faces south and consists of a two-story Chinese-style building with 20 rooms. It features a traditional hip-and-gable roof, a brick-concrete structure, Western-style interiors, and a roof covered with black glazed tiles.

George Catlett Marshall (1880–1959) was a globally renowned legendary general, celebrated as the “Architect of Victory” during World War II. He was one of the five five-star generals in American history and referred to as the “greatest soldier” by the U.S. military. In 1924, Marshall came to China as a military attaché. After returning to the United States in 1927, he held various positions, including instructor at the U.S. Army War College, deputy commandant of Fort Benning Officer Candidate School, commander of the 5th Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division in Illinois, director of the War Plans Division of the War Department, and deputy chief of staff. During World War II, Marshall was appointed Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. In November 1945, he came to China as a special envoy of President Truman to mediate relations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. However, due to the passive response from the Nationalist side and U.S. support for the Nationalist civil war, his efforts came to nothing. Failing to mediate the conflict between the two parties, Marshall was recalled to the United States in 1947 to serve as Secretary of State. In 1953, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first career military officer to receive this honor.