Posted on 08/20/2016 9:57:10 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
When back in June 2015 Donald Trump announced he was running for president, he said during his speech, “I will find the General Patton or I will find General MacArthur. I will find the right guy. I will find the guy that’s going to take that military and make it really work.”
Since then, Trump has frequently mentioned Douglas MacArthur in his speeches. It is worth discussing his importance in American history, especially as we are approaching the 66th anniversary of Battle of Inchon. While MacArthur’s greatest achievement was the creation of modern Japan, the Inchon landing on September 15, 1950, was his finest hour.
It reversed nearly three months of defeats from June 25, 1950 when 89,000 North Korean troops invaded South Korea and took Seoul in just three days.
(snip)
The lack of good intelligence cost us dearly from the Korean War to attacks of the 9/11. We should never have to apologize to the bad guys when we need to get information out of them.
(snip)
General MacArthur famously said, “There’s no substitute for victory.” This is the most important lesson for the next president. We should not enter conflicts, and risk American lives, unless we intend to win.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Interesting article that makes some good points. The debate in the comments regarding the history of Gen. Mac was kind of a mess, but history is always in the eye of the beholder.
George W. Bush ignored that advice not once but twice. We will pay forW's errors for generations to come.
He was able to dock six ships where the Koreans were only able to put three ;-)
He was also wounded by a Norc with a grenade.
Ed
No president would want Gen. MacArthur. The overrated nightmare of a general was insubordinate to three (!) presidents. The only general to attack U.S. civilians on U.S. soil. (Not part of the Civil War)
Just watched Gregory Peck on the Johnny Carson show where he was promoting his MacArthur movie.
me too.in MN.
No president would want Gen. MacArthur. The overrated nightmare of a general was insubordinate to three (!) presidents. The only general to attack U.S. civilians on U.S. soil. (Not part of the Civil War)
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Wrong again Nick old boy! Any HONEST president who put American lives in harms way would want a winning general who had the intelligence to find the way to victory. He would not be such a prick as to defeat our troops by taking away their leadership. In the history of mankind, the far greater number of victories have been provided by the insubordinate. A WISE and STRONG President would find the right general and cut him loose on the enemy in order to be victorious. Patton was also crucified by the JEALOUSY and collusion of BRADLEY and Eisenhower. But Patton won the victories.
I have often said if MacArthur had been given free reign in Korea, we wouldn’t have had a Vietnam.
MacArthur also said:
“Rules are mostly made to be broken and are too often for the lazy to hide behind” — Douglas MacArthur
If MacArthur had been given free reign in Korea, we might have ended up with nuclear warfare in China and who knows what the Russians might have done in Europe. I might never have had my husband who fought in Korea and came home with PTSD and ugly memories, but also not have had my two sons, one of whom fought in Gulf War 1, and twice in Afghanistan. with Special Forces. So many alternative histories possible.
“Might have ended up”.......................The controlling word is “might.” Korea is both the FORGOTTEN WAR and the NEVERENDING WAR because it is still not over, thanks to Truman and the United Nations. Our troops are still there.
I also had a son in the first gulf war with the Airborne Marines (ANGLICO).
The chicoms in 1950 were very concerned about the possibility of an invasion from ChiKaSheca (sp) forces in Formosa (Taiwan). Most of their Army was stationed along the coast to repulse a feared invasion. MacArthur being the good general he was knew this and tried to use it to his advantage. Bluffing the Chicoms by saying that if China interfered in Korea, China would be inviting an invasion from Formosa. Truman went livid an accused MacArthur trying to get us into a war with China. The fool Truman could not see that MacArthur was doing the exact opposite trying to keep China out of the war.
So what does the idiot Truman do? He orders the 7th fleet to patrol the Taiwan straight ensuring that no invasion from Formosa can occur. So where to all those chicon troops stationed to repulse an invasion go? Yup they all go to Korea to kill Americans sailors, solders and Marines.
If Truman had just left MacArthur alone he would have won the damn war. Truman is the most overrated president ever. The little WW1 artillery captain thought he knew more about fighting wars than our finest general since George Washington.
There is an excellent biography of MacArthur, “American Caesar”. MacArthur had his faults, true enough but all in all, he was a very great general.
MacArthur was viewed as the “Republican General” so all the socialists, all the communists and quite a few Democrats disparage him. It is very telling that you do too nic. Seems your always against anyone that is truly pro American.
Pershing wanted to force unconditional surrender in 1918 and crush Germany...If so how would the world look today
BFL
Are you referring to the "Bonus Marches?"
Wikipedia:
On July 28, U.S. Attorney General William D. Mitchell ordered the veterans removed from all government property. Washington police met with resistance, shots were fired and two veterans were wounded and later died. President Herbert Hoover then ordered the Army to clear the veterans' campsite. Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur commanded the infantry and cavalry supported by six tanks [commanded by Maj. George S. Patton].
During the military operation, Major Dwight D. Eisenhower served as one of MacArthur's junior aides. Believing it wrong for the Army's highest-ranking officer to lead an action against fellow American war veterans, he strongly advised MacArthur against taking any public role: "I told that dumb son-of-a-bitch not to go down there," he said later. "I told him it was no place for the Chief of Staff." Despite his misgivings, Eisenhower later wrote the Army's official incident report that endorsed MacArthur's conduct.
Regards,
Since age 17, I have re-read that book every couple of years. Never grows old.
Regards,
Well, I see that you are well trained by leftist propaganda and inter-service rivalries.
Thank you for a concise and well documented explanation to those who”will not see” the ignorant arrogance of the haberdasher in the White House. I totally agree.
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