And it wasn't just Americans—Brits, Soviets, and Frenchmen could all be seen lobbying generals there. Even a few Chinese, although very rarely.
"Hello, General."
When Pierre walked up to Thomas Holcomb, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the three-star admiral didn't even lift his head from his steak. He simply said, flatly:
"The generals in charge of the CBI theater are in the front-left. Those handling Lend-Lease supplies are surrounded by the Brits and Soviets. I can't help you."
What does it mean to be a "third-tier man"?
Just look at the treatment this Marine general was getting.
While other generals were being fawned over and courted by foreign agents and lobbyists, Vice Admiral Thomas Holcomb sat there entirely alone, not a single person bothering with him.
That's the status of the Marines: "third-tier". And when the Air Force split off from the Army, the Marines dropped further to "fourth-tier."
Reflecting on the low status of the "Marines," Pierre spoke.
