Tag: Gen. Douglas McArthur

American Caesar: Douglas McArthur (1880-1964) – William Manchester

On By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

On November 11, 2025, the United States will observe Veteran’s Day and  pay its respect to the nation’s military veterans. Eighty years have now passed since the conclusion of World War II. In Europe, Allied Forces battled the Axis powers, fueled by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler‘s (1889-1945) quest for world domination and in the Pacific, Japan was aging its own war as it sought to spread its influence across Asia. Allied resistance to the Pacific was fierce and important as the European campaign, and at the helm was one of the American military’s greatest leaders, General Douglas McArthur (1880-1964). Today there are buildings, airports and streets named for him, but who was this legendary figure in military circles? Author William Manchester (1922-2004) explores his life in this extensive biography that peels back the layers to reveal the man behind the dark sunglasses and corn cob smoking pipe. 

In American military history, McArthur’s name is firmly cemented. Previously, I reviewed H.W. Brand’s ‘The General v. The President: McArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War‘, which focuses on the fallout between McArthur and United States President Harry S.  Truman (1884-1972). The complicated story of the two powerful figures is also told here by Manchester, and is a crucial part of McArthur’s fall from grace. But before we reach that point, his icredible life takes center stage, and from the beginning I felt myself pulled into the biography. Manchester was a noted historian and a meticulous writer, who had a talent for bringing history to life with vivid clarity and smooth narratives. Readers should be aware that this book is long and contains well over seven hundred pages of text. But contained within it is a wealth of information about an iconic figure. 

Early in the book, it becomes clear that the military is a crucial part of the McArthur family’s life. The role of McArthur’s father Arthur McArthur, Jr. (1845-1912) is firm, and young Douglas proves to be a brilliant student and blessed with high intellect. But no one could have predicted the name he would make for himself later in life. As we follow the young McArthur from one continent to the next, we witness his gains in battlefield experience, exposure to cultures abroad and ascension in military rank. The young bachelor also finds love in the story, and second wife Jean (1898-2000) would prove to be the rock he needed as he moved through life. The addition of son Arthur, IV introduces fatherhood into the story and throughout the book, McArthur embraces his role as protector of his immediately family and a series of islands in the Pacific known as the Philippines. The story behind his god-like status on the islands is explained thoroughly, and includes his actions during World War II (1939-1945) as Japan ramped up its attacks on the small islands. Although Japan was defeated, the threat from Tokyo was real and the McArthurs faced danger more than once before the Allies began to turn the tide. The discussion regarding the war forms a sizeable section of the book for obvious reasons. When Japan does surrender, McArthur also plays a pivotal role in post-war events but there was another looming threat on the horizon also in Asia. 

On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops poured across the 38th Parallel into South Korea igniting the Korean War. The White House sprang into action, and McArthur once again would be called into service. Korea proves to be far more complicated than World War II, and the reasons why are explored by Manchester without taking the focus away from McArthur. However, we also see the rift developing between Truman and the famed general. And when Truman signs NSC-68, 1950, more confusion is added to the mix. For McArthur the situation was simple and he would do what was needed to defeat North Korea. But the White House and America had no desire for another world war. But what happens to the life long combat soldier who has no more wars to fight?Soon a major issue developes and readers will notice that McArthur is somehat of a “Frankenstein” created by the system he served. And when he acts on his own, the stage is set for a showdown with the White House. I understood Truman’s decision regarding McArthur’sremoval but I did question his methods.  Once home in the United States, the story takes another turn as McArthur becomes a national celebrity with public opinion on his side. But it does not last long and the impact to his image is significant. The story is surreal at times and the differences in which he was revered and loathed are striking. By autumn 1953, the world wars were over and McArthur was already back in America, living out his days quietly as his health began to decline. 

As the 1960s approached, McArthur had begun to decline physically, and in the story, we can see the end is near. But even as he was confronting his own mortality, he sill saw himself as the general of service and there is an interesting meeting with President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) which sent chills down my spine. McArthur would also have a similar discussion with President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973), and we can only wonder what would have happened had his advice been followed. In the spring of 1964, his health turns sharply for the worse and his last days draw near. The book ends with a somber note at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland as slips away but his death felt strange after a voluminous account of his life which is intertwined with world history. However, we are all mortal and although he is gone, his memory lives on in our rememberance of his name and accomplishments. He truly was the “American Caesar”. 

“People grow old only by deserting their ideals,” MacArthur had written, paraphrasing another writer. “Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.… You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, so long are you young. When… your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then and then only are you grown old—and then, indeed, as the ballad says, you just fade away.”

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12, 2008

On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War’s Greatest Battle – Hampton Sides

On By Genyc79In Korean WarLeave a comment

slidesOn June 8, 2020, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korean Government) cut all lines of communications with the Republic of Korea (South Korean Government). Eight days later, an explosion destroyed the joint liaison building which had been used to host meetings between the two governments. The bombing was instantly seen as an act of aggression by North Korea and prompted a sharp response from its South Korean counterpart. Fears of an armed conflict gripped neighborhood countries as tensions continued to rise. Many eyes in both China and the United States were watching for the events very well could have led to the re-ignition of the Korean War (1950-1953), a conflict that never officially ended. I am constantly amazed at the expressions of surprise people display upon learning this fact. It seems surreal but the fact is that the Korean is still an “open” conflict that is only contained by the 39th Parallel and the watchful eyes of several foreign countries over North and South Korea. The war itself is often reserved for military buffs and overshadowed by both World War II and the Vietnam War. However, the reality is that the conflict in Korea nearly evolved in World War III. Author Hampton Sides is here to tell us about the role of the United States Marines and their experience in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.

When the North Korean army under the command of Kim Il-Sung (1912-1994) invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the United States came to the aid of its ally and engaged the North Korean army in fierce combat. As the conflict intensified, President Harry S. Truman (1884-1982) turned to the legendary Gen. Douglas McArthur (1880-1964) to assess the situation in Korea. Assured that the North Koreans could not win and would beaten back shortly, Truman breathed a sigh of relief. McArthur in turn, looked to the military to handle the growing need for combat troops. And the time had come for the United States Marine Corps to show what it was made of.  Under the direction of Gen. Oliver Prince Smith (1893-1977), the First Marine Division was dispatched to aid South Korea and push the North Koreans back to Pyongyang. The landing by the First Marine Division and steady advance of infantry soldiers had nearly everyone convinced that Korea would be a short campaign that would barely last several months. But America soon learned that there was more to meet the eye and the People’s Republic of China under Chairman Mao Zedong (1893-1976) would leave its mark on Korean soil and the minds of the Marines who survived hell on earth.

Several individuals in the Marines’ chain of command were confident that the Marines would face little resistance as they marched across Korea. General Edward Mallory “Ned” Almond (1892-1979) as among them and pressed his subordinate Gen. Smith to advance and continue pushing the North Koreans back all the way to their capital city.  Almond makes several appearances in the story and on occasion proves to be nearly as dangerous as the Koreans the Marines were fighting.  The mission starts off well until the Marines make a shocking discovery and learn that the Chinese military has come to the aid of the North Koreans.   The realization that China had now entered the conflict sent shockwaves through Washington. It was seen as the biggest intelligence failure in recent memory. But was it really a failure? Hampton Sides explores the issue and what he explains just might cause some readers to shake their heads in disbelief.

The conflict that had started out as a fast moving campaign had now turned into a diplomatic and military nightmare on both sides. Marines found themselves embroiled in fierce combat and began to realize that their mission was by no means “simple”. The tide had now turned and Korea became a hotbed of savage combat. The battles scenes come back to life in the book and we are provided with a ring-side seat as the Marines are forced to fight opposing troops and a winter climate that nearly renders them completely immobile. The words of the veterans who lived through the war are included here and it can easily be seen that many years later, they are still the proud Marines they were in the early 1950s.

General Smith knew that the conflict would rage longer than Washington wanted and decided that the base of operations would be located in Hagaru, the only space in the Reservoir that could accommodate an airstrip which would desperately needed to bring in supplies, troops and evacuate casualties. The Marines had been given their orders to push forward into the Chosin Reservoir and destroy the enemy.  And in the process, hundreds of young Marines were sent to a place of no return.  Waiting in the distance for them was Mao’s Red Army whose only goal was to kill Americans.  The Marines’ entry into the depths of the Reservoir and actions of Mao’s army are the focus for the second half of the book in which we see the Marines faced with tough decisions with very little time as wave upon wave of Chinese soldiers advanced on American posts. The fighting is savage and some of the soldiers we meet do not ride off into the sunset. Their ordeal is a sobering reminder that war is hell, Marines fight and they also die. However, the threat of death does not stand in their way and they come to life when needed in a nightmare that must seemed like a welcoming party for entry into Valhalla.

Commanders at X Corps soon realize that the Reservoir is a natural trap and the Chinese have severed key arteries that facilitate the movement of troops and supplies. The Marines are literally surrounded and must get out of the Reservoir. But the task is easier said than done and time is of the essence. The final part of the book is devoted to the controlled and strategic withdrawal by the Marines back to South Korea. And this is by far, the most uplifting part of the story as the battle-hardened troops rotate back to South Korea in route to the United States. But none of them would ever forget the Reservoir and how it became a death trap for the Marines taking on the communist threat from North Korea and China.

There are those who feel that the Reservoir was nothing short of a debacle. While it is true that the Marines suffered heavy losses, Mao’s Red Army fared just as bad if not worse. The battle is important not because of a win or loss but the psychological effect it had on the troops that served and in popular opinion. The full story can be found inside in this book which will surely delight students of history that have always wanted to learn more about an often forgotten war in America’s past. Highly recommended.

ASIN: B078VWRSXM

The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War – H.W. Brands

On By Genyc79In Korean WarLeave a comment

On June 25, 1950, 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army marched across the 38th Parallel and into the Republic of South Korea.  In the wake of World War II, the country had been split between the Communist North under Kim Il-Sung (1912-1994) and the Democratic South under Syngman Rhee (1875-1965).  The 38th Parallel served as the demilitarized zone between the two nations and remains in place to this day.  In response to the growing North Korean advance, South Korean Troops with the assistance of the United Nations and the Unite States, mounted a counter-offensive to repel the invasion.  As a tactical measure, President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), appointed Gen. Douglas McArthur (1880-1964), to lead the resistance against the communist advance.  As the conflict unfolded, Korea became ground zero in the struggle for peace and a pawn in the brewing Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union.

The North Korean advanced surprised the South but the tide of the war was soon turned as American troops marched on and captured Pyongyang.  To all it seemed as if the conflict would soon be over and for Syngman Rhee, it appeared that his dream of reunification would come to pass.  However, in October, 1950, all of that changed as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army crossed the Yalu River, lending their support to North Korean troops.  In Washington, alarm bells sounded and it soon became known and accepted that the Korean War would not a “short” conflict.  Instead, the war nearly turned into World War III and the world found itself on edge wondering if the United States would once again use an atomic weapon.  Behind the scenes, Washington was doing its best to remain calm while avoiding another world conflict while its top commander in field was doing the opposite.  This their story, told beautifully by H.W. Brands in this book that it sure to leave you astounded.

Truman, largely unpopular across the country, finds himself at odds with the most popular general in America.  To the public, McArthur was a legendary figure beyond reproach, committed to the safety of the United States at home and around the world.  To the White House, he was a rogue soldier, interfering in foreign policy and possibly providing the spark that would ignite the next world conflict through public statements and unauthorized expansion into Chinese territory.   To understand these two powerful and dynamic figures, it is necessary to understand their backgrounds. Brands provides a brief autobiography of the two, giving readers a complete picture of each and their importance to the story at hand.   As the war rages, they take their place as opponents in a power struggle that coincided with the loss of large numbers of U.S. military personnel and a Congress salivating at the thought of punishing the White House for what it believed to be unauthorized military action on foreign soil.  

The book is written in a thoroughly engaging style and once I began I could not put it down. Readers familiar with the Korean War from either reading about it or living through it will recall many of the facts in the book. But where the book excels is in its deep analysis of the battle between Truman and McArthur, and the political maneuvers occurring in Washington to prevent Chinese escalation, retain the territory of Formosa  and possible involvement by the Soviet Union.   Some parts of the book are absolutely chilling and the late Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945) is vindicated in his belief that McArthur was at that time, the most dangerous man in America.   Brands includes quotes directly from the central players, giving the book the authentic feel that is has.  It is not simply the author telling the story, but the major players giving their side of the story.  And through their words, we can come to understand McArthur’s belief in his actions which could have escalated the war and the administration’s response in relieving him of his command and substituting him with Gen. Matthew B. Ridgeway. And the result is a roller coaster ride that begins with a Korean invasion and ends with an armistice under President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) and the downfall of a military legend.  Truman did not seek reelection but remained a powerful voice in American politics up until the time of his death.

It will soon be sixty-five years since the armistice was signed, and the 38th Parallel continues to be a source of tension between North and South Korea with both sides on high alert at all times for possible escalation and even invasion. The story of the two Korean nations is a long and tragic story, beginning with occupation by the Japanese military during World War II.  The division of the country by the Soviet Union and the United States was a scene that played out in many nations following the defeat of the Axis powers.  Peace became a central goal across the world but in 1953, North Korea decided that there was more at stake than civility.  But due to the efforts of leaders who understood the dangerous nature of the conflict, the world was given a brief reprieve until the United States and Soviet Union once again clashed during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962.  That conflict would also be resolved, due in part to the efforts of the administration of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). 

The story here is at times mind-blowing and shows just how close the world came to Armageddon.  There were no scripts and the central figures were not actors on a studio in Hollywood.  The events were frighteningly real and if we are to prevent future conflicts from going down the same path, we owe it to ourselves to remember the conflict by use of books such as this one by H.W. Brands.  Those who are students of history and in particular the Korean War, will thoroughly enjoy and appreciate Brands’ work. 

ISBN-10: 0385540574
ISBN-13: 978-0385540575