Applying MacArthurism to the War on Terror

Gen. Douglas MacArthur (search) (1880-1964) was one of the greatest -- and arguably the greatest -- military leaders ever produced by the United States.

He graduated first in his West Point class of 1903, rose to the rank of brigadier general in World War I, and served as Army chief of staff in the 1930s. During World War II, he was the top commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific (search), masterminding the liberation of the Philippines (search) and the island-leaping strategy that outmaneuvered Japanese forces. He became a five-star general, the highest rank in the U.S. army (and one not held by anyone alive today).

MacArthur will long merit study by those interested in military and geopolitical strategy. Consider the following of MacArthur’s statements and ideas, and their relevance to the crises and conflicts facing the U.S. today:
“I shall return.”
These, the most famous words of the Pacific war, were spoken by MacArthur after he arrived in Australia in 1942, having been ordered by President Roosevelt to leave the Philippines, then under Japanese invasion. Officials in Washington were disturbed at the personal nature and egotism of MacArthur’s promise to liberate the Philippines, and pressed him to revise it to “We shall return.”
But these critics were wrong. For many Filipinos, the U.S. government’s determination to rescue the Philippines was in doubt; the U.S. in fact was giving top priority to the war in Europe. But the Filipinos trusted MacArthur, and the first-person singular underscored that help really would be coming.

MacArthur’s statement demonstrates the importance of personal commitment in giving credibility to national policies. U.S. national power counts for little unless the president and senior officials display clarity in their goals and determination to meet those objectives. The use of a phrase that is memorable, optimistic and clear-cut helps as well.

With all due respect to the author, this whole thing is a lot of crap. President Quezon of the Philippines wired half a million dollars to Douglas MacArthur's bank account in the U.S. in January of 1942 during the seige of Corregidor. This payment, which wasn't even public knowledge until 1979, has never been fully explained by anyone as far as I know.

Call me cynical, but it kind of puts a damper on that "I shall return!" nonsense, doesn't it?

In all of the documentaries I have seen on Macarthur...a theme of rouge individual tracks..ending with the General being released..a sigh of relief from the Political to the Military command.

Only the U.N. could fashion such an image..to remove the aspect of Hero...Honor and resolve.

Truman reeks of compromise and concession.

One pictures him making deals with China and North korea thru back channels.

Now one must ponder if such deal making has continued..and does to this day.

Leaders asking thier citizens to go in harms way..lying to them..while they negotiate on the fly.

How will it be..if a large number of U.S. servicemen lose their lives in the Mid east..Afghanistan..only to find out later,

that deals were cut on the fly...the exit period rationionalized again as before.

"We had to find the best way out for the nation."

The politician and the Military leaders speak of prevailing and resolve...one should press them for more clarity.

Are they talking about war..or exit negotiations.

He graduated first in his West Point class of 1903, rose to the rank of brigadier general in World War I, and served as Army chief of staff in the 1930s.

MacArthur was was chief of Staff during the Hoover years. When WWII vetrans came to Washington (they called themselves Coxie's army) and camped out on the maul to petition congress for benefits. MacArthur was charged with maintaining order. MacArthur with out any orders to do so, used Us Regular Army Toops to attack the demonstrators and drive them from Washington by force. That cruel act caused a ton of bad publicity for Herbert Hoover. The media said Hoover ordered American toops to attack the protestors and burn their tents and belogins and drive them from Washinton.

MacArthurs aid during this unpresidented attack on American citizens was Captain Dwight Davis Eisenhower. They are the only two commanders to ever have conducted an attack on American citizens using US troops.

The problem was Hoover never ordered an attack on the vetran protesters. Hoover felt betrayed by MacArthur.

So MacArthur was forced out of the US military. MacArthur then took the job as commander of the Philipines Army. That is what he was doing when the Japanese attacked pearl harbor. Roosevelt decided to bring him back and give MacArthur the Command of the Pacific.

Throuhout his career MacArthur constantly engaged in insubordination. He defied Truman in the Korean war. and for the second time in his career MacArthur was fired by a US President.

'(they called themselves Coxie's army) and camped out on the maul to petition congress for benefits."

I think you really mean "Bonus Marchers." They were there to petition Congress to fulfill its promise of a discharge bonus for veterans of the First World War. Like many of Congresses promises, it was never fulfilled.

Regards,

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