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.