Check that - Truman was a Captain and company commander of an artillery unit. I also suggest you read American Caesar by William Manchester and/or The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam for a more balanced view of MacArthur’s “military genius”. Truman’s opinion of MacArthur was that he was “a pompous, posturing jackass”. After having researched the topic, I’m convinced that MacArthur was an officer in the mold of George Armstrong Custer, another preening, vain glorious martinet.
Custer had his Battle of Washita where he abandoned the field without accounting for all of his troops, twenty-six of whom were later discovered killed and mutilated by the avenging Cheyenne Indians who Custer had “defeated”. MacArthur had his abandonment of his command on Bataan because “he was ordered to Australia to organize a relief force” leaving General Wainwright holding the bag and becoming the highest ranking POW in a Japanese prison camp in Manchuria for three and a half years. Both surrounded themselves with an adoring gang of sycophants who sheltered them from any criticism or bad publicity. Ironically, both also had women in their life (MacArthur’s mother and Custer’s wife) who made a career out of advancing the cult of their “military geniuses.”
Unlike MacArthur, Custer had a long string of decisive victories often against long odds, and very likely saved the Union at Gettysburg. He overextended once and it got him killed.
MacArthur WAS ordered off Corregidor— by FDR (and speaking as someone who cannot stand FDR in any context, that is tough to say). Also, as regards family who knew that FDR set up the Pearl Harbor “surprise” inasmuch as they were on war patrol in October of 1941 with “weapons free” orders against any— any Japanese ships.
Halberstam? riiight. Great uncle knew Manchester and MacArthur, supported MacArthur politically and knew all about Truman’s leftover FDR commies in the WH, and that Truman should have stayed in haberdashery. Alas, he was useful in delivering MO for FDR, who was a basket case and ill for many years. Manchester was quite thorough on Mac’s personage, faults and leadership. Have no need to re-read a signed edition from William Manchester.
Just take a look of the area of the world which the Commander in Chief Allied Forces SW Pacific Theater shared with the Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet & Pacific Ocean Areas and successfully prosecuted victory over the Japanese Empire, and then consider that Admiral Nimitz and MacArthur worked closely together, and Nimitz had a signed photograph of MacArthur on his desk. Their command is incomparable to any other in history, to date, and their success in saving Allied lives as much as possible against a fanatic pagan enemy.
Thank you and you are entitled to your opinion based upon information you perceive as facts.
Share in common the opinion you express of Custer who was kicked in the a@@ by Gen. Longstreet prior to Appomattox (one of our family was present when the little banty rooster Custer demanded Longstreet’s sword for the surrender of the Army of N. Virginia. But then, Custer was fighting superior natural cavalry forces in the Plains Indians, and was a glory seeking fool who failed many times prior Little Bighorn to reconnoiter properly. The much more observant Benteen rescued Reno and saved what was left of Custer’s command or they would all have been wiped out. Custer exhibiting a very real palpable result of a true preening vain glorius martinet- incredible foolishness.
Go back and do more research.
MacArthur had his abandonment of his command on Bataan because “he was ordered to Australia to organize a relief force” leaving General Wainwright holding the bag and becoming the highest ranking POW in a Japanese prison camp in Manchuria for three and a half years.
MacArthur was ordered by FDR to leave Bataan... a fact you might discover with more research.