Generals of the Army: Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Arnold, Bradley

3. Douglas MacArthur

63 3 Douglas MacArthur Tony R. Mullis Douglas MacArthur was undoubtedly the most polarizing of America ’s five-star generals. General George C. Kenney, MacArthur’s World War II air commander, remarked: “Very few people really know Douglas MacArthur. Those who do, or think they do, either admire him or dislike him. They are never neutral on the subject.” General George E. Stratemeyer was an admirer. He described MacArthur as “the greatest leader, the greatest commander, the greatest hero in American history.” General Robert L. Eichelberger, MacArthur ’s Eighth Army commander, was less flattering. “We have difficulty in following the satellites of MacArthur,” Eichelberger concluded, “for like those of Jupiter, we cannot see the moons on account of the brilliance of the planet. . . . Even the gods were alleged to have their weaknesses.”1 Regardless of how MacArthur’s subordinates , peers, and superiors saw him, his significant accomplishments over a fifty-two-year military career justify his presence in the pantheon of outstanding American military leaders and strategists. Few could equal Douglas MacArthur’s contributions to American military history. He served in key leadership positions during both world wars and the Korean War. His peacetime assignments were equally significant. As a junior officer, he was an aide to his father, General Arthur MacArthur, and to President Theodore Roosevelt . Following World War I, he returned to West Point as its superintendent . He also held key commands in the Philippines and headed the IV Corps area in Atlanta, the III Corps area in Baltimore, and the IX Corps area in San Francisco during the 1920s. He became the Army’s chief of staff in 1930. MacArthur returned to the Philippines in 1935 and retired in 1937. He became the military adviser to the Philippines and held the rank of field marshal in the Filipino military. He was recalled to active duty in 1941 as commander of the U.S. Army Forces Far East. After Japan’s surrender, he held the posi- 64 tony r. mullis tion of supreme commander of the Allied Powers and oversaw Japan ’s occupation. When the Korean War began in 1950, MacArthur became the commander in chief of the United Nations Command. His brilliant amphibious envelopment at Inchon in September 1950 highlighted his strategic genius, but his relief for insubordination in April terminated his long and distinguished career. Despite this abrupt end, MacArthur’s contributions to American history and his legacy as an exceptional leader and strategist are without comparison. Before Douglas MacArthur made a name for himself, he lived in the shadow of his famous father and grandfather. Both elder MacArthurs were accomplished individuals. His grandfather, Arthur MacArthur, emigrated from Scotland in 1825. He established a law practice in Springfield, Massachusetts. His first son, Arthur Jr., was born in 1845. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1849 and became the city attorney two years later. He was elected lieutenant governor, and in 1856, he served five days as governor during an electoral controversy. He completed his term as lieutenant governor in 1857. After he won two terms as a judge for the Second Judicial District, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed MacArthur to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia in 1870.2 His appointment and access to Washington society allowed the senior MacArthur to influence the careers of both his son Arthur and his grandson Douglas. Arthur MacArthur Jr. had a tremendous influence on Douglas. A Civil War hero and Medal of Honor recipient, he established a high standard of military accomplishment for his sons to emulate. Although he was only sixteen when the Civil War began, Arthur MacArthur Jr. volunteered to fight with the 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. West Point had accepted him for the class beginning in 1862, but he volunteered and became the regiment’s adjutant in August. He received a brevet to captain after the battle of Perryville in October 1862. MacArthur’s bravery and leadership at Missionary Ridge in November 1863 garnered the Medal of Honor and made him famous. He received a brevet promotion to colonel in 1864 at age nineteen, which earned him a nickname: “the Boy Colonel.”3 His speedy rise through the ranks foreshadowed his son’s rapid advance. Following the Civil War, Arthur MacArthur Jr. practiced law, but the military was his passion. He received a Regular Army com- Douglas MacArthur 65 mission as a lieutenant in 1866 and was soon elevated to captain because...