Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur is one of the most famous military generals in American history. He gained notoriety for his actions throughout World War II (1939–45) and during the first half of the Cold War (1945–91).

MacArthur was born into a military family on January 26, 1880, in Arkansas . A poor-to-average student, MacArthur claimed he could ride and shoot before he could read or write. He entered West Point military academy in 1899 and began to excel at his studies. MacArthur graduated at the top of his class in 1903 and boasted the highest scholastic average at the school in twenty-five years.

Rises through the ranks

After completing assignments in the Philippines and the Far East, during which he was promoted to first lieutenant, MacArthur returned to the states. He emerged as a remarkable talent and eccentric leader during World War I (1914–18), and his success earned him numerous military decorations. He became brigadier general and superintendent of West Point shortly after the war and held that position until 1922, the same year he married (he divorced seven years later). He held various positions until 1930, when President Herbert Hoover (1874–1964; served 1929–33) appointed him chief of staff of the U.S. Army , a position he held until 1935.

In the 1920s and 1930s, many Americans were worried about the threat of communism. MacArthur shared the concern. Communism is an economic and political theory in which the government owns and controls

the production and distribution of all goods and services. This concept was threatening to noncommunist countries because it ignored personal liberties and relied on harsh, often totalitarian, governments. The Great Depression (1929–41) had descended upon America in the 1930s. More than twenty thousand hungry war veterans and their families camped in shacks while waiting payment of their war services bonuses. Veterans of World War I were promised a monetary bonus that could initially be redeemed in 1945; because of economic hardships, some members of Congress recommended veterans be allowed to redeem them in 1933. The Depression was putting a serious strain on the nation's finances, however, so this matter was being furiously debated in the legislature. So these desperate veterans and their families decided to march on Washington, D.C. , to protest having to wait for their bonus money. When MacArthur learned of the protest, he led four troops of cavalry and numerous tanks and destroyed the makeshift camps that housed these peaceful protestors. No weapons were fired, but the cavalry used gas and swords, and blood was shed. A baby died from the gas attack, and before the event was over, fire broke out. No one was ever able to determine with absolute certainty how the fire started or which side was responsible. Although there was no basis for MacArthur's belief that this was a communist-led march, he claimed that by intervening, he had narrowly averted a communist revolution. MacArthur initially had approval to quell the protest from President Hoover. But when it became clear that the general was using such harsh measures on a peaceful crowd, Hoover twice ordered MacArthur not to pursue the marchers. MacArthur's reputation was hurt by his actions in what has become known as the Bonus March.

MacArthur returned to the Philippines in 1935 to develop a defensive strategy for the islands, which were under the control of America. He married again in 1937 and retired from the Army, although he continued his work with the government in the Philippines. MacArthur was recalled to active duty in 1941 as a lieutenant general and commander of U.S. forces in the Far East.

The Japanese successfully invaded the Philippines in 1941 and defeated the Philippine army. It was a difficult defeat for the general since he supervised the creation and training of these troops, and he was ordered to withdraw and take command of Pacific operations during World War II.

Victory in the Pacific

MacArthur began the Pacific campaign with a shortage of both soldiers and supplies, but his forces soon achieved one victory after another. Thanks to a savvy press corps, MacArthur became a much-loved leader during the war, and he delivered more than one enthusiastic, if not melodramatic, speech that only further endeared him to the American public.

President Harry S. Truman (1884–1972; served 1945–53) appointed MacArthur supreme commander of the Allied Powers in Japan once the war was over. The commander used the next six years to reshape Japanese society, and he encouraged religious freedom, land reform, the emancipation of women, and other societal reforms.

The Korean War

In July 1950, President Truman appointed MacArthur commander of the United Nations (UN) forces in the Korean War (1950–53). Again, his brilliant leadership led to a major victory at the Battle of Inchon. MacArthur made an error, however, when he assured his troops that they would be home with their families in time for Christmas. He had not counted on the intervention of Chinese armies, who forced the UN troops to retreat in November 1950. President Truman, aware of MacArthur's tendencies to create conflict by taking matters into his own hands—as he had during the Great Depression—as well as by making inflammatory comments, had already warned him not to say things he should not. As a result of making promises to the troops that could not be kept, the president relieved MacArthur of his command in April 1951.

MacArthur returned to the states not with shame, but with pride. A supportive public greeted him and hailed him as a military hero. He eventually accepted a position as chairman of the board of the Remington Rand Corporation in August 1952. He died on April 5, 1964, at the age of eighty-four.