Posted on 01/30/2014 7:09:06 PM PST by NKP_Vet
Truman, then Eisenhower abandoned some 6,000 MIAs from the war. Some were shipped to Russian gulags and some spent years in prison in North Korea.
I apparently misremember some of the stuff in it.
Sometimes, I have to wonder if the smearing of men like MacArthur is just more of the same BS that we’ve been subjected to by leftwing “teachers”.
Just one more American to tarnish, from OUR PEOPLE’s history, culture, traditions, and heritage.
The left and the fools educated by the left absolutely HATE MacArthur. Ike lost more troops in one battle then “the General” lost in the entire war. His generalship in the Pacific compares with the greatest commanders in history. Dido Korea if Truman had not sent the 7th fleet to guard the Chinese flank. To this day I am still dumbfounded at Truman’s incompetence as commander in chief.
“...The left and the fools educated by the left absolutely HATE MacArthur...”
They hate ANYTHING that portrays Americans and America in a positive light.
They’re trying to deconstruct us as a Nation, as a people, and as a culture. And old hardcore goats like us just keep on resisting it.
I will. Always.
Also, one more thing (and not directed at you, but in general):
Something that annoys the hell out of me is when folks think they have a better idea for what a man should have done under certain circumstances than what he actually did - without actually BEING there when those decisions were made.
It’s always easy for people to sit here, 73 years later, and criticize what the General did or didn’t do, and list his “mistakes” and faults - all based on what personal bias or what was taught in “history” books written by folks who may or may not have had an ax to grind.
I prefer to learn history from folks that lived it. I’ve spoken with MANY WWII vets (I was raised by them); I’ve asked them questions about Patton, MacArthur, Ridgeway, Gavin, Bradley, Ike, etc., and THEIR experiences and viewpoints of these historical people. Most of them had similar responses: “they did what they could, with what they had, and made it work.”
Her in 2014, none of us were there when those events were taking place in those jungle islands, and we view things from the 20,000 foot view, knowing the outcome of things because they already happened.
MacArthur and the men of that time did not have that luxury; those life-threatening events were happening TO them, and the minute-to-minute decisions they made or didn’t make had grave consequences, which weighed heavily on them. Men lived or died based on what they decided, and anyone who hasn’t been in command of people in war has ZERO idea what that is like.
Playing Armchair General by saying “he should have done THIS, instead of THAT” changes nothing, and shows, at best a complete ignorance. HE was there, at the center of a collapsing world, and he did what he was ordered to do, and made the command decisions HE thought best at the time - it was on HIS back.
Same with Wainwright, King, Kimmel, and Short.
I haven’t seen much of MASH, didn’t much care for the episodes I did see.
I love how it had the war going on for 11 years or whatever though. LOL. Kinda like how Bart Simpson and the kids from South Park as still in grade school.
It seemed to be a Joe six pack hop on the sofa after work daily TV show.
“He didn’t fail to have his troops ready for the North Korean invasion of South Korea?”
Cutbacks in defense spending were so severe that he was not given the funds for training.
His chief intelligence officer had staked everything on his analysis holding that the NKs would not attack. He deceived McA.
Yes, I agree that these things were ultimately his responsibility, but consideration of the reasons for these failings can be illuminating.
“I haven’t seen much of MASH, didn’t much care for the episodes I did see.”
MASH: Love the movie, hate the show.
I agree. That wasn't Mac's fault.
His chief intelligence officer had staked everything on his analysis holding that the NKs would not attack. He deceived McA.
Yes but there had been so many prior feints by the Norks at invading the South that their actions began being interpreted as bluster.
“Yes but there had been so many prior feints by the Norks at invading the South that their actions began being interpreted as bluster.”
That’s true, too.
Another thing is that the US forces thought they’d see significant numbers of Chinese troops crossing the Yalu and moving south.
Through an incredible display of discipline, the Chinese remained invisible during the day.
I liked the scene at the end where Donald Sutherland asks the nurse he banging to screw some crazy guy so he regains his sanity, and the skank actually does it because she’s a PATRIOT!
Yes - the well hung dentist! Remember the look the nurse had when she left? She got bored out.
I’ve watched MASH (the movie) with my uncle (Korean War vet); good times. :)
"There were two primary motivating factors behind Acheson's delivery of the National Press Club speech. First, the Truman administration was trying to implement a new China policy after the victory of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War. By late 1949, Truman and Acheson had decided that the People's Republic of China (PRC) would launch an invasion of Taiwan in the near future to destroy the last remnants of Jiang Jieshi's government.1 The president announced his determination to remain uninvolved in the Chinese Civil War on 5 January 1950, explaining that while the United States would continue economic aid to Taiwan, US military aid and advice would cease. Such an approach, Truman insisted, proved that the United States had no predatory designs on Chinese territory and sought no specific privileges or military bases."
http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index.php/jcs/article/view/366/578
Truman ordered all US forces out of Korea in 1948. Truman's SoS declared Korea outside of a US defensive zone. Korea was outside of MacArthur assigned area. He had zero to do with Korea by order of the President! Blaming MacArthur in any fashion is Marxist revisionist history. MacArthur was dumbfounded went Truman ordered him to defend Korea, he could not believe it.
(correction) dumbfounded when
“MacArthur was dumbfounded went Truman ordered him to defend Korea, he could not believe it.”
Who else could have done it? Who else could have conceived of and executed the invasion of Inchon?
I’ve been through the Flying Fish Channel. It’s everything we’re told, and worse.
BTW, I didn’t mean I was in the invasion. I mean I was there much later, and can say that the “channel” is a nightmare.
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