Posted on 01/26/2023 9:56:03 AM PST by Ozguy1945
I knew it was pointless to engage you. Go read!
Help all of us out by telling us what is contained in the volumes you cite about naval operations in WW2 that will support your opinions about MacArthur and his conduct in the Philippines on Dec 8, 1941??
Then why were all the aircraft at Clark Field not spread out, protected and ready? They were sitting ducks and the entire Air Force was wiped out in the first attack.
MacArthur could have been relieved of command and that was discussed by Roosevelt and Marshall.
Read Nigel Hamilton’s three volume history on Roosevelt as Commander in Chief.
While on Bataan, MacArthur demanded the the Philippine government pay the balance of his contract as head of the Military, some $250,000, which was paid into his account at Chase Bank and and it was reluctantly approved by Roosevelt, that gave some high level dirt to Roosevelt on MacArthur for a rainy day. File on this was found at the Roosevelt Presidential Library, by not only Hamilton but William Manchester.
Are you shooting at my boots? Should I dance?
The only commander in the Pacific who was not fooled and totally prepared for the Japanese was the Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet, Admiral Thomas Hart, he lost none of his fleet and engaged the enemy with hardly any losses at all.
USS Houston? Surviving crew was captured and ended up building a bridge on the river Kwai..
> Then why were all the aircraft at Clark Field not spread out, protected and ready? They were sitting ducks and the entire Air Force was wiped out in the first attack. <
I’ve read that local commanders at Clark Field and Pearl Harbor were very concerned about acts of sabotage by local Japanese agents. So they ordered their aircraft to be parked close together, better to protect them against ground attack.
What a mistake that was.
“Meanwhile, the results of following Truman’s way are manifest in the “woke” weeds choking the society.”
You are 100% correct about that but we were discussing MacArthur, not the woke crowd.
“you have been brainwashed by Leftist historians for believing what you wrote about him.”
Nah, not hardly. Simple deduction based upon his WWII and Korean War record, my Dear Watson. I do not recall reading or hearing anything about MacArthur from the lefty press. ;-)
Patton was the man and the press clearly destroyed him!
Now, would you like to discuss Halsey? ROFL
I have NEVER read or heard anything about MacArthur.....nothing from the CCP, the lefty press or anywhere else who have said the things which I have said! I have formed my own opinions, just as you have.
“tongzhi”
tongzhi? Shall I curse in some foreign language, too? Otherwise, please tell me what “tongzhi” is then take your foreign language somewhere else. This is the United States of America. Only English is spoken here! ROFLMAOASTD
I don’t think the poster was referring to the atomic bomb. LeMay instituted the nighttime incendiary attacks against Japanese cities starting in March of 45. This tactic was completely contrary to US doctrine developed in the skies above Europe, and highly effective. By the time the atomic bombs were dropped, most Japanese cities had been reduced to ashes. A good book on the subject is “A torch to the enemy: The fire raid on Tokyo (Ballantine Books)
by Martin Caidin”. Another book of interest is “The Fast Carriers: The Forging of an Air Navy
by Clark G. Reynolds”. One of the things discussed in the book is the strategic calculus used to decide whether to hit the Philippines or Formosa. American strategic thinking was still influenced by the civil war and the “Anaconda plan” They thought it necessary to divide the Japanese empire in two by capturing Formosa or the Philippines. That would separate Japan’s source of petroleum from the home islands and greatly hamper her war effort. As other have pointed out US submarines were taking a frightful toll on shipping already. But having a base in either place would allow the submarines to get on station much faster and allow aircraft to be used to seal the south China sea as well.
Sorry but your understanding comes from leftists.
MacArthur had his fighters up at dawn to intercept the anticipated attack... but it never came due to bad weather on Formosa preventing the Japanese planes from taking off.
By the time weather on Formosa cleared and the Japanese planes were inbound for the Philippines, the American fighters were running low on fuel and had to return to base.
When the American fighters were all on ground refueling is precisely when Japanese planes appeared overhead. Simply a matter of bad luck for the Americans.
Because Clark was a small base without dispersal areas. Funding to expand the base had not yet been received.
protected and ready?
Lack of revetments goes with lack of dispersal area. They were ready, just not when the Japanese attack finally came hours later due to bad weather on Formosa.
They were sitting ducks and the entire Air Force was wiped out in the first attack.
That was just bad luck. The American fighters sent aloft at dawn to seek out the expected Japanese attack found nothing and eventually ran low on fuel and had to return to base. Only once on ground packed wingtip to wingtip refueling (due to lack of dispersal areas) did the delayed Japanese attack arrive. Simply a case of bad luck for the Americans.
MacArthur could have been relieved of command and that was discussed by Roosevelt and Marshall.
I've seen that on television.
While on Bataan, MacArthur demanded the the Philippine government pay the balance of his contract as head of the Military, some $250,000, which was paid into his account at Chase Bank and and it was reluctantly approved by Roosevelt, that gave some high level dirt to Roosevelt on MacArthur for a rainy day. File on this was found at the Roosevelt Presidential Library, by not only Hamilton but William Manchester.
Ok but what's the problem with being paid for services performed? But I guess the Left spins it with sinister tones since being paid for ones work is rather capitalistic.
You certainly are dancing around the subject trying to distract from the fact that you cannot provide a fact about events of Dec 8, 1941, or anything else in MacArthur's career that supports your misguided beliefs.
Much earlier you said you didn't have time to make a substantive yet you have plenty of time to continue posting what at best is pure hyperbole.
Last time, pal. I don’t work for you.
Ok but stop posting Leftist slander against MacArthur.
On the other hand, if you decide that you want to learn about the real MacArthur, I and others here will be happy to help.
The best bio of the General was by Geoffery Perret “Old Soldiers Never Die”.
I found it balanced and very well written.
LeMay instituted the nighttime incendiary attacks against Japanese cities starting in March of 45.
I'm not sure I understand. If you are referring to one of several posts about the Philippines not being of military significance due to the B-29 and the campaign in the Central Pacific, I disagree.
Where else than Manila was a harbor capable of supporting the invasion of Japan? Okinawa has harbors but not world class like Manila.
Secondly, none of the generals knew about Manhattan but FDR did and therefore supported the Central Pacific campaigns. What FDR didn't know in 1944 was if the atomic bomb would work. Due to the chance that the atomic bomb was a dud, retaking the Philippines was a necessary step in the path towards an invasion of Japan.
One of the things discussed in the book is the strategic calculus used to decide whether to hit the Philippines or Formosa.
Formosa would have been an absolute bloodbath. The island was essentially Japan. It was Okinawa on steroids. Furthermore, before even reaching Formosa, an American attack force would have been flanked on both sides.
As other have pointed out US submarines were taking a frightful toll on shipping already.
Yes but the Japanese countered by using smaller draft vessels closer to shore with anti-submarine aircraft above.
But having a base in either place would allow the submarines to get on station much faster and allow aircraft to be used to seal the south China sea as well.
True but I again point out again that Formosa would have been a bloodbath.
Hmm. Another one gone once ignored. Fascinating.
Wrong, they called him Dug Out Doug when they were on New Guinea.
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