This General Had Mac's Back Investor's Business Daily Gen. Douglas MacArthur's first shot at seizing the offensive against the Japanese was bogged down. He knew he needed a commander to rescue the operation. He chose Robert Eichelberger, a three-star general who had a couple of other traits similar to a
South Korea Proposes Liaison with North Yahoo News South Korean President Lee Myung-bak proposed Thursday the creation of the first liaison offices in the capitals of the two Koreas, which are technically in a state of war.
The Post-Nonproliferation Age National Review Online The era of nonproliferation is over. During the first half-century of the nuclear age, safety lay in restricting the weaponry to major powers and keeping it out of the hands of rogue states.
April 24, 2008
1951 wasn't the best year for Douglas MacArthur.
The hero of World War II, who uttered those famous words on the beach of the Phillipines, "I shall Return" (and did), was fired by President Truman for insubordination. As leader of the Allied Forces in Korea, he had misjudged the threat of Chinese intervention and threatened to bypass U.S policy and take the war to China itself.
Nonetheless, he was offered the unique opportunity to make an historic speech (It took him 40 minutes to read it, but you can do it in 10) before Congress and live on television to the American public. You can almost hear his sonorous tones as he addressed his subjects.
“I stand on this rostrum with a sense of deep humility in the weight of those great architects of our history who have stood here before me…"
Nobody could say MacArthur, already aligning himself with other great architects, was shy about his achievements. He was first in his class at West Point. Led the Rainbow Division in World War II to smashing victories. Defeated, and later adored by, the Japanese. Launched a textbook counterattack at Inchon. And never took a bad photograph.
"…Through these past 50 years the Chinese people have thus become militarized in their concepts and in their ideals..."
Half of the speech was given to societal changes in Asia. If America was considering a bathroom break, this was it. But the crux of the matter finally came: Korea.
"…While no man in his right mind would advocate sending our ground forces into China, the new situation did urgently demand a drastic revision of strategic planning if our political aim was to defeat this new enemy as we had defeated the old one. It has been said in effect that I was a warmonger. But once war is forced upon us…there can be no substitute for victory…"
He was much more successful, with perhaps the greatest exit line ever.
"… When I joined the Army, even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfillment of all of my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have all since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barracks ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
"And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Good Bye.”
Republicans were awash in tears and felt that the speech was equal to any other speech in history. Democrats felt that his arguments were convoluted and that his dismissal was justified.
So who was Douglas MacArthur?
The strutting, self-centered man who once ordered tanks and cavalry, sabers drawn, into a group of ragged World War I veterans, who had camped in Washington D.C to petition Congress for early payment of their bonuses?
Or the brilliant tactician, who did his duty as best he could, persevered through his blunders and inspired a nation, in those dark days, when heroes were needed the most?
Maybe all of the above.
Mac Issues Some Surrender Terms of His Own ibiblio.org The following messages were sent to the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese General Headquarters by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers:
'You Couldn't Shrug Your Shoulders at Douglas MacArthur" empereur.com Douglas MacArthur lived his entire life, from cradle to grave, in the United States Army...
MacArthur pbs.org No soldier in modern history has been more admired -- or more reviled. Douglas MacArthur, liberator of the Philippines, shogun of occupied Japan, mastermind of the Inchon invasion, was an admired national hero when he was suddenly relieved of his command.
Who's your favorite general?
18% 9% 55% 0% 18%
Many great generals (and admirals) were like MacArthur. They walked a fine line between being brilliant and being self-centered.
Consider Patton. A genius who also thought it would be a nifty idea to attack the Soviet Union after WW2 and claimed he could blame it all on the Soviets. Some have been full of dangerous ambitions like Alexander, Caesar, or Napoleon. Of course, some have been idiots like Santa Ana or nut case wannabes like Bin Laden.
One wonders what's happened to the military that we have so many dull and uninspiring generals today. I'm not very impressed with Gen. Petraeus, our current in-field commander in Iraq. He seems like a competent officer, but he's no MacArthur or Patton, or Sherman, (or "Stormin' Norman" Schwartzcoff from the First Gulf War).
Whenever I watch the news and see a retired colonel talking about the wars we are involved in and what we should do to win, I question why they didn't make general and the current generals did.
The Air force is no better. Where are the swaggering air aces, and "piece of cake" pilots? Today, they all seem so competent in their blue suits and ties. They once bragged about the "shock and awe" campaign against Iraq. I'm shocked at the fact we don't have a MacArthur or a Patton to get the job done.
Our fighting men (and now women) deserve better!
No wonder we can't win these wars.
ExPat is absolutely right. But I would take it a bit further (or perhaps simply use different words to reiterate). The combination is necessary to make these great generals who they were.
The aspects of character that made Patton brilliant strategists and tacticians, the traits that made them inspiring leaders whom men would follow... are the very same attributes that led to their preening egomania. The two go hand in hand.
Today's military has no characters. That is why it has no character.
To: DreadPirateRoberts,
I agree with you're assessment.
I should have added the Navy. Where are the Lord Nelson's, the Halsey's, or the Nimitz'? John Paul Jones? How about a pirate or two?
Perhaps our military has a problem with being a "military". I read recently that a squad of Marines in Afghanistan were being accused of "excessive force" in defending themselves in an ambush against the Taliban. That sound you hear is Sherman and Patton turning over in their graves.
I served in Vietnam. We had many great officers, but the generals (Westmoreland and Adams) that ran the war weren't worth the polish on Custer's boots. The "Best and the Brightest" were certainly not. Even the Secretary of Defense, MacNamara, earned his chest of medals on the Ford assembly line. That takes "warrior training" to a new level, don't you think?
And speaking of medals, why do all our current generals and admirals have a chest full of medals? What wars did they actually fight in? And I do mean "fight". Just curious.
Great generals are like great composers, or rock stars. 1 part crazy, 1 part genius, 1 part con-artist, and 3 parts enormous ego. Shake with ice, pour into highball, and throw at wall.
With that in mind, I'd say Gen. MacArthur had more morals in his little pinky than half of congress. He believed in saving an America that our whiny, snivelling politicians have since turned into mud. I miss our best generation. Where oh where have you gone?
We're stuck with Nancy, Barbara, Diane and Hillary--the four horsemen of the apocalypse--as our so-called "leaders" now. Is this the America that they fought for? Bring back Douglas! Bring back Ike! Bring back Patton! Heck, bring back Teddy Roosavelt!
Dutchman said...
Brilliant. Jolly well said. Where are the Generals today? Isn't it interesting how much influence they enjoyed during and after the Great War? MacArthur, as I recall didn't exactly fade away. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 1952. There you go. Generals should come back to be outspoken Generals again. I miss that.
The retired military analysts we see on Fox and other media have been carefully coached to put a positive spin on the war in Iraq. See
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/washington/20generals.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Many of them have direct ties to military contractors. I grew up in a military household and I respect the job they do, however, I believe that politics has taken over the Pentagon and the military. How long would it have taken Patton or Eisenhower to get bin Laden?
Here's a question for you folks: What do you think about General Wes Clark as a military man not as a politician?
I don’t think that its mere coincidence that the last of America’s larger-than-life heroic generals came at the tail end of what Tom Brokaw dubbed “The Greatest Generation”.
These were the times when there was little doubt as to who were our enemies (remember when you could discern friends and foes by the uniforms they wore?), that the cause was just and righteous in the eyes of the American public and our many allies, and the impact of those wars affected everybody, not just our troops and their families.
It was during these times when our military leaders were empowered to make terribly tough and bold decisions, not only their Commander and Chief, but also by the folks back home who understood the cost of freedom.
I don’t know who could possibly follow in the footsteps of these great warriors when the line between “good and evil” has become so fuzzy; so suspect. Who our true allies are, who is our real foe, is no longer defined by geographical boundaries or the cut of their uniforms.
The lack of trust that we seem to have in our elected leaders to make the right decisions, for the right reasons, has made it very improbable that we shall see another “larger-than-life” hero that can measure up to the myths and deeds of our past generals. Without this fundamental trust, I fear we will always have too many of our own guns pointed inward to ever foster that kind of leadership again.
This makes me think of the meaning behind the movie titled “No Country for Old Men” Maybe I'm just a bit too naive.