marshall dispatched to china as the president's special representative to negotiate a truce between chiang kai-shek and the communists. general eisenhower then chief of staff visited his former boss during the negotiations. this was the first time marshall officially functioned as a diplomat, but the role was not unfamiliar. although the army had been his profession, his country's interest had always been his tear career. marshall received the oath of office as secretary of state from chief justice vincent early in 1947. the president enthusiastically endorsed the former chief of staff at a critical time in history. it was fairly said that mr. truman selected him not because of his experience but because he was marshall. >> there's nothing that i can say at this time regarding matters that pertain to my position in the state department, but i assume the duties with a great -- with a feeling of great responsibility, a very earnest desire to carry out the foreign policy of this government in the manner that has been so splendidly exemplified by my predecessor, mr. byrnes, my old friend. >> the new se