Got to have my say on old "Dugout Dug." Read Manchester's life to try to understand this magnificent, badly flawed man. He was brave to a fault, a cardinal virtue in a soldier. Was the son of a very great hero and top general -- Arthur whom he worshipped. He was a momma's boy (she moved to West Point to look after him.) His greatest fear for years was that his momma would discover he kept a Filipina mistress in the Willard Hotel when he was chief of staff. He spent his life preparing for a war with the Japanese.
When WWII started, MacArthur was 61 years old. He was contract military chief of his beloved Philippines, but had been recalled to U.S. active duty in July to become US far east commander. His staff was not very competent and the destruction of his air forces must be blamed on his weak command structure for which he was ultimately responsible. The main American problem was the lack of war preparedness -- the fault of Roosevelt, Knox, Stimson, Marshall, and Stark, Congress and most Americans. It is grossly unfair to single out MacArthur for blame in 1941 and 1950. Unpreparedness in 1950 was primarily Congress's fault, although Louis Johnson (Truman's Secy of Defense), almost unknown today, bears much responsibility. His island hopping campaign in the Southwest Pacific was brilliant, although Nimitz and Roosevelt refused him the naval support he needed. His landing at Inchon in 1950 was one of the boldest and most brilliant strokes in military history, utilizing the resources he had and could collect. We landed troops like reserves in the 7th Marines who had been civilians 60 days before.
It is totally unfair to belief MacArthur underestimated his enemy. No man knew more about Japan's military potential and was personally more prepared for the struggle. No man is more responsible for Japan's democratization and rebuilding than MacArthur. This, I am sure, will stand as his greatest monoment, and his greatest influence on the world.
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