The Marine Corp no more?

[whitehall]

I think Truman, like many Americans, were in awe of MacArthur. My dad, who served under him, thought him a great soldier's general. MacArthur, I believe, wanted to drive to the Yalu and then establish a bridgehead in China, hopefully waiting for an UN willing to expand into China on behalf "of the free world."

Meglomania.

The Military serves under the civilian president and the concept of awe doesn't enter the picture. MacArthur served honorably in WW1 and left the Service before Pearl Harbor. Why in the world Truman would appoint a 75 year old to command Troops in Korea is anybody's guess. The media loved MacArthur though and the media writes the history books.

 

[Mushroom]

Why in the world Truman would appoint a 75 year old to command Troops in Korea is anybody's guess.

He was the SCAP and the highest ranking General on active duty in the theater. The only other 5 Star General still on active duty at the time was Omar Bradley, and he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at that time.

 

[whitehall]

He was the SCAP and the highest ranking General on active duty in the theater. The only other 5 Star General still on active duty at the time was Omar Bradley, and he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at that tim

He was the SCAP and the highest ranking General on active duty in the theater. The only other 5 Star General still on active duty at the time was Omar Bradley, and he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at that time.

MacArthur was born in 1880, He had a lackluster career in WW1 when he was accused of being to slow to move Troops. He retired as COS prior to WW2 but was called back by FDR to be the commander of Troops most likely to engage the Japanese in WW2. He was rescued after losing an entire army on Bataan and Corrigador and spent the rest of the war in Australia planning revenge. The media loved the Old Soldier and so did the FDR administration and he was picked to accept the surrender of the Japanese and became the de facto emperor of Japan. You could say that MacArthur was way too old and way too busy to deal with a combat command in Korea. Was General Bradley too busy being the "chairman" to deal with Korea? The best guess is that Truman knew Korea was unpopular and used MacArthur as a political tool.

 

[Mushroom]

MacArthur was born in 1880, He had a lackluster career in WW1 when he was accused of being to slow to move Troops. He retired as COS prior to WW2 but was called back by FDR to be the commander of Troops most likely to engage the Japanese in WW2.

And once again, a greatly distorted retelling of history, and leaving out a hell of a lot.

Yes, Mac retired after being COS in 1935. However, he had already been contacted by and accepted an offer by Manuel Quezon who was President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines to supervise the creation of their army. That is why in 1935 he became the Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. And that was the position he held 6 years later in July 1941 when the entire Philippine Army was Federalized and brought onto Active Duty as part of the US Army. And in doing so, General MacArthur was also Federalized and recalled to Active Duty. And as the Senior General in the theater, he was named as the Commander of the US Army in the Far East.

So what you said was not really true. He was not "called back by FDR", the entire Philippine Army was nationalized, and as their commander he was also.

I have to admit, I find it fascinating the things you will mention of history, but almost never correctly or in the actual way or order they happened. And notice, that was July, 5 months before the war started.

He was rescued after losing an entire army on Bataan and Corrigador and spent the rest of the war in Australia planning revenge. The media loved the Old Soldier and so did the FDR administration and he was picked to accept the surrender of the Japanese and became the de facto emperor of Japan. You could say that MacArthur was way too old and way too busy to deal with a combat command in Korea. Was General Bradley too busy being the "chairman" to deal with Korea? The best guess is that Truman knew Korea was unpopular and used MacArthur as a political tool.

There was never a chance for the forces in the Pacific once the decision was made to not reinforce any of out possessions in the Pacific. Wake and Guam also fell, for the same reason. The US made the decision to neither evacuate the islands, nor to reinforce them once war broke out. The exact same thing happened to the Dutch and UK territories in the region.

Which was actually counter to all the plans made prior to the outbreak of war. War Plan Orange called for a huge relief fleet to sail for the Philippines if war broke out, which obviously never happened. However, almost all of the US progress during the war was in accord with War Plan Orange.

And yes, General Bradley was busy, because he was the CoS. What, he should have resigned and rushed in to take charge? Maybe during the latter part of WWII President Truman should have resigned and taken up commanding an Artillery Battery again before we invaded the mainland. Or President Lincoln resign and resume his prior position as a Militia Captain.

But please, tell us how any other commander would have been able to withstand the Japanese onslaught in the Philippines. Tell us which military leader could have won that campaign and how.

And remember, I myself do not have a particularly high opinion of General MacArthur. But that does not mean I run around attacking him at every turn as you seem to do.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

MacArthur was born in 1880, He had a lackluster career in WW1 when he was accused of being to slow to move Troops. He retired as COS prior to WW2 but was called back by FDR to be the commander of Troops most likely to engage the Japanese in WW2. He was rescued after losing an entire army on Bataan and Corrigador and spent the rest of the war in Australia planning revenge. The media loved the Old Soldier and so did the FDR administration and he was picked to accept the surrender of the Japanese and became the de facto emperor of Japan. You could say that MacArthur was way too old and way too busy to deal with a combat command in Korea. Was General Bradley too busy being the "chairman" to deal with Korea? The best guess is that Truman knew Korea was unpopular and used MacArthur as a political tool.

Let's moderate the comment on his WWI service with "Douglas MacArthur - Wikipedia In the fighting on the Western Front during World War I, he rose to the rank of brigadier general, was again nominated for a Medal of Honor, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice and the Silver Star seven times."

 

[whitehall]

Let's moderate the comment on his WWI service with "Douglas MacArthur - Wikipedia In the fighting on the Western Front during World War I, he rose to the rank of brigadier general, was again nominated for a Medal of Honor, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice and the Silver Star seven times."

MacArthur's Medal of Honor citation was perhaps the shortest in history. Apparently "raising an army" (and losing it) was a qualification at the time.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

Whitehall is restricting MacArthur's contribution in WWI (2 nominations for the MoH, 2 DSC, 7 Silver Stars) with his lackluster performance in the Philippines from Dec 1941 to February 1942.

 

[whitehall]

And once again, a greatly distorted retelling of history, and leaving out a hell of a lot.

Yes, Mac retired after being COS in 1935. However, he had already been contacted by and accepted an offer by Manuel Quezon who was President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines to supervise the creation of their army. That is why in 1935 he became the Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. And that was the position he held 6 years later in July 1941 when the entire Philippine Army was Federalized and brought onto Active Duty as part of the US Army. And in doing so, General MacArthur was also Federalized and recalled to Active Duty. And as the Senior General in the theater, he was named as the Commander of the US Army in the Far East.

So what you said was not really true. He was not "called back by FDR", the entire Philippine Army was nationalized, and as their commander he was also.

I have to admit, I find it fascinating the things you will mention of history, but almost never correctly or in the actual way or order they happened. And notice, that was July, 5 months before the war started.



There was never a chance for the forces in the Pacific once the decision was made to not reinforce any of out possessions in the Pacific. Wake and Guam also fell, for the same reason. The US made the decision to neither evacuate the islands, nor to reinforce them once war broke out. The exact same thing happened to the Dutch and UK territories in the region.

Which was actually counter to all the plans made prior to the outbreak of war. War Plan Orange called for a huge relief fleet to sail for the Philippines if war broke out, which obviously never happened. However, almost all of the US progress during the war was in accord with War Plan Orange.

And yes, General Bradley was busy, because he was the CoS. What, he should have resigned and rushed in to take charge? Maybe during the latter part of WWII President Truman should have resigned and taken up commanding an Artillery Battery again before we invaded the mainland. Or President Lincoln resign and resume his prior position as a Militia Captain.

But please, tell us how any other commander would have been able to withstand the Japanese onslaught in the Philippines. Tell us which military leader could have won that campaign and how.

And remember, I myself do not have a particularly high opinion of General MacArthur. But that does not mean I run around attacking him at every turn as you seem to do.

MacArthur was already a senior citizen (55 years old) in 1935. He was 61 when he was called back to active service in 1941 as commander of the Far East Army. Evidence indicates that he had a day or two after Dec. 7 to prepare for imminent attack but he became confused and unable to follow the plan and allowed his entire air force to be destroyed parked wing to wing on the ground. The point is that MacArthur was never a skilled or aggressive combat commander. He was a desk bound grand strategist with a big ego and a bigger press corps.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

MacArthur was already a senior citizen (55 years old) in 1935. He was 61 when he was called back to active service in 1941 as commander of the Far East Army. Evidence indicates that he had a day or two after Dec. 7 to prepare for imminent attack but he became confused and unable to follow the plan and allowed his entire air force to be destroyed parked wing to wing on the ground. The point is that MacArthur was never a skilled or aggressive combat commander. He was a desk bound grand strategist with a big ego and a bigger press corps.

A good general, yes, not a master general. He lost the Philippines, screwed up in Korea, did very well after the Philippines and was a good division commander in WWI.

Whitehall has an ox to gore and is going with some but not all the facts.

 

[whitehall]

A good general, yes, not a master general. He lost the Philippines, screwed up in Korea, did very well after the Philippines and was a good division commander in WWI.

Whitehall has an ox to gore and is going with some but not all the facts.

Mac was a sub standard officer in WW1. His most successful campaign ironically was attacking WW1 Veterans who participated in the Washington D.C bonus march. His MOH award was an embarrassing political stunt. Republicans turned him down in favor of Ike for president after Veterans started calling him "dugout doug" and he ran as a third party candidate knowing that he would syphon republican votes from fellow general Ike.