There has been a lively debate about the subject with merit on both sides.
I think Hastings is wrong. The Philippines was the next logical target after New Guinea. We needed a staging area to support an invasion of the Home Islands. Okinawa isn't big enough. Plus, the populace was friendly and we wouldn't have to guard our back. Another plus was that we recovered American territory and fulfilled a promise made. Finally, having a naval base on the Philippines cut Japanese access to supplies from S.E. Asia and the East Indies for good.
The Navy plan was to bypass the Philippines and invade Formosa to use as our base to invade the China coast and possibly the Home Islands. Formosa would have been an even bigger bloodbath on much more defensible terrain. The notion of engaging the Japanese army in China was wrong for many reasons.
In hindsight, we didn't need the Philippines or, for that matter, Okinawa. But in 1944 none but a tiny group of people knew about the atomic bomb and even they didn't know if it would really work. No, we were planning an invasion of the Home Islands, a gigantic undertaking to place and support at least 1 million men in Japan, with casualties in the first wave estimated to be 100%. We needed a big base to support such a vast undertaking.
Finally, about McArthur's generalship. It was bad. His defense of the Philippines was incompetent. But, the Philippines campaign was fought by Krueger, who did know what he was doing. And he was smart enough to give Dugout Doug all the credit.
My father, a Marine Corps veteran of Okinawa, was scheduled to be in that first wave. He never had a bad word to say about Harry Truman.
Have to agree that in the very early days of WW II, General MacArthur did not perform well. His evacuation of Manila was badly botched and his plan to retreat and hold on Bataan/Corregidor could not succeed since food, munitions and equipment were never preplaced. Also MacArthur is an excellent example of how a flamboyant, politically well connected officer can rise quickly and achieve undeserved power and rank. Still happens today. Yet after the Philippines disaster most military historians are complimentary of MacArthur’s tactics in New Guinea. He achieved much and had a casualty rate far below other Commanders. His desire to liberate the Philippines was opposed by the other area commanders but President Roosevelt understanding the politics overruled Marshall and the other area commanders and allowed MacArthur to mount his invasion. MacArthur then became synonymous with victory in the Pacific and the “American Caesar” legend was firmly established.
There is little doubt he was a complex, troubled man and many felt he had a death wish taking inordinate risks for a Commander. The Dugout Doug moniker was very unfair. His role pacifying post war Japan was indeed a triumph. His military strategy in Korea is of course debatable but if he indeed conceived and planned Inchon, it was brilliant and demonstrated the value of his West Point military education where Civil War battles and tactics were studied extensively. Probably a lost art in today’s service Academies.
MacArthur left America with a pearl of wisdom and insight that unfortunately thus far has been ignored. The United State should never get involved in a land war on the Asian continent.
Walter Krueger (26 January 1881 – 20 August 1967) was an American soldier and general officer in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his command of the Sixth United States Army in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. He rose from the rank of private to general in the United States Army.
Born in Flatow, West Prussia, Krueger emigrated to the United States as a boy.
My father was on a yard mine sweeper (YMS 389) and would have been in that first wave trying to sweep mines in Tokyo harbor. Do you think he ever regretted them being nuked? Neither do I.