Douglas Macarthur Contribution

Douglas Macarthur once famously quoted “And through all this welter of change and development, your mission remains fixed, determined, inviolable: it is to win our wars” (Macarthur) this was part of Macarthur’s speech “Duty, Honor, Country” (Macarthur) This kept the same message that west point strived to teach their soldiers. He was a man who was raised in military family with a father who was a well known general. Macarthur was an American five star general and field marshal of the Philippians campaign and was chief of staff of the united states army during the 1930’s and played a important role in the struggle to end communism in north Korea. He also protected his soldiers making sure they were taking care of an example is during the Great depression. He didn’t follow his orders to clear the soldiers “bonus army” from Washington D.C who were protesting the government for early pay for their military service. He instead joined along his fellow soldiers in protest. He was also dismissed from the military for going against Truman’s war policy during Korean War. This is still an argued question to the senate armed service committee and the senate foreign relations committee. “The removal of General Macarthur was within the constitutional powers of the president but the circumstances were a shock to national pride” (united states army in Korean War, volume 1, 365) although a man with great achievements he slowly faded away after his dismissal. But through the eyes of America he is still known as one of the greatest war heroes of all time.

Macarthur was born in Little rock, Arkansas on Jan, 26, 1880. (A& e television networks) He was the youngest of three sons. Macarthur’s early childhood was spent on the western frontier outpos...

... middle of paper ...

...n hopes of taking a stand to end communism. (Johnson) The stand was that it goes strictly against President Truman’s war policy, Macarthur knowing this, still wanted to carry out the plan. (Johnson) This is where Truman and Macarthur clashed opinions on the war policy. (Johnson) Macarthur wanted to do whatever necessary to do the right thing. (Johnson) On the other hand President Truman wanted to stay with his war policy for the chance of possibly starting another world war. (Johnson) Ultimately this led to Macarthur getting dismissed/ fired from the army. (Johnson) This raised question in the eyes of the Americans. Was Macarthur’s stand on ending communism a smart or dumb move? Should he be seen as a War hero or a man who was obsessed with power? Many questions rose but most people agreed that what he did was a true act of doing what was right at the time.