|
|
| Douglas MacArthur: |
|
General Douglas MacArthur served as supreme commander of the Allied war effort in the Pacific, as well the director of the postwar occupation of Japan. MacArthur enrolled at West Point, graduating in 1903 with honors to become an engineering officer. Following World War I, MacArthur became a general, and served as the superintendent of West Point, served in the Philippines, and was posted to various other assignments. He became the army chief of staff in 1930, and served in this function for five years, until he was forced to resign. He then moved back to the Philippines to serve as military advisor to the president there. He returned to U.S. military service in 1941 when he was put in command of U.S. forces in the Philippines. He was forced to retreat these forces to Australia, but from there he began to amass brilliant victories against the Japanese, and retook the Philippines in 1944. When Japan surrendered in 1945, he was called upon to accept it, as he was the supreme commander of Allied forces in the Pacific at the time. Following the surrender, he demilitarized the Japanese nation and reformed it into a liberal democracy. He became the supreme commander of the UN forces in Korea during the Korean War. He organized the triumphant landing at Inchon, which allowed the UN forces to push the North Koreans back to near the Chinese border. Chinese Communists then entered the conflict, and MacArthur urged that the United States should go to war with China, and advocated the use of nuclear weaponry against China. He openly criticized President Truman, and was relieved of his command for this reason. When he retired from the armed forces, he was the most decorated U.S. serviceman in American history. |
|
|
Timeline | Museum | Simulation | Resources | Participation