Korean War Douglas MacArthur

south naktong, north yalu

on 25 june 1950, north korea invaded south korea, starting korean war. united nations security council passed resolution 82, authorized united nations (un) force assist south korea. un empowered american government select commander, , joint chiefs of staff unanimously recommended macarthur. therefore became commander-in-chief of united nations command (uncom), while remaining scap in japan , commander of usaffe. south korean forces placed under command. retreated before north korean onslaught, macarthur received permission commit u.s. ground forces. first units arrive trade men , ground time, falling pusan perimeter. end of august, crisis subsided. north korean attacks on perimeter had tapered off. while north korean force numbered 88,000 troops, lieutenant general walton walker s eighth army numbered 180,000, , had more tanks , artillery pieces.

macarthur observes naval shelling of inchon uss mount mckinley, 15 september 1950 brigadier general courtney whitney (left) , major general edward m. almond (right).

in 1949, chairman of joint chiefs of staff, general of army omar bradley, had predicted large scale combined amphibious operations ... never occur again, july 1950, macarthur planning such operation. macarthur compared plan of general james wolfe @ battle of plains of abraham, , brushed aside problems of tides, hydrography , terrain. in september, despite lingering concerns superiors, macarthur s soldiers , marines made successful landing @ inchon, deep behind north korean lines. launched naval , close air support, landing outflanked north koreans, recaptured seoul , forced them retreat northward in disarray. visiting battlefield on 17 september, macarthur surveyed 6 t-34 tanks had been knocked out marines, ignoring sniper fire around him, except note north korean marksmen poorly trained.

on 11 september, truman issued orders advance beyond 38th parallel north korea. macarthur planned amphibious assault, on wonsan on east coast, fell south korean troops before 1st marine division reach sea. in october, macarthur met truman @ wake island conference, truman emulating roosevelt s wartime meeting macarthur in hawaii. president awarded macarthur fifth distinguished service medal. briefly questioned chinese threat, macarthur dismissed it, saying hoped able withdraw eighth army japan christmas, , release division service in europe in january. regarded possibility of soviet intervention more serious threat.

a month later, things had changed. enemy engaged un forces @ battle of unsan in late october, demonstrated presence of chinese soldiers in korea , rendered significant losses american , other un troops. nevertheless, willoughby downplayed evidence chinese intervention in war. estimated 71,000 chinese soldiers in country, while true number closer 300,000. not alone in miscalculation. on 24 november, central intelligence agency reported truman while there many 200,000 chinese troops in korea, there no evidence chinese communists plan major offensive operations.

that day, macarthur flew walker s headquarters , later wrote:

for 5 hours toured front lines. in talking group of officers told them of general bradley s desire , hope have 2 divisions home christmas ... had seen @ front line worried me greatly. r.o.k. troops not yet in shape, , entire line deplorably weak in numbers. if chinese in heavy force, decided withdraw our troops , abandon attempt move north. decided reconnoiter , try see own eyes, , interpret own long experience going on ...

macarthur flew on front line himself in douglas c-54 skymaster saw no signs of chinese build , therefore decided wait before ordering advance or withdrawal. evidence of chinese activity hidden macarthur: chinese army traveled @ night , dug in during day. reconnaissance efforts, macarthur nonetheless awarded distinguished flying cross , honorary combat pilot s wings.

the next day, 25 november 1950, walker s eighth army attacked chinese army , un forces in retreat. macarthur provided chief of staff, general j. lawton collins series of 9 successive withdrawal lines. on 23 december, walker killed when jeep collided truck, , replaced lieutenant general matthew b. ridgway, whom macarthur had selected in case of such eventuality. ridgway noted macarthur s prestige, had gained extraordinary luster after inch on, badly tarnished. credibility suffered in unforeseen outcome of november offensive ...

collins discussed possible use of nuclear weapons in korea macarthur in december, , later asked him list of targets in soviet union in case entered war. macarthur testified before congress in 1951 had never recommended use of nuclear weapons. did @ 1 point consider plan cut off north korea radioactive poisons; did not recommend @ time, although later broached matter eisenhower, president-elect, in 1952. in 1954, in interview published after death, stated had wanted drop atomic bombs on enemy bases, in 1960, challenged statement truman had advocated using atomic bombs. truman issued retraction, stating had no evidence of claim; merely personal opinion.

in april 1951, joint chiefs of staff drafted orders macarthur authorizing nuclear attacks on manchuria , shantung peninsula if chinese launched airstrikes originating there against forces. next day truman met chairman of united states atomic energy commission, gordon dean, , arranged transfer of 9 mark 4 nuclear bombs military control. dean apprehensive delegating decision on how should used macarthur, lacked expert technical knowledge of weapons , effects. joint chiefs not entirely comfortable giving them macarthur either, fear might prematurely carry out orders. instead, decided nuclear strike force report strategic air command.

removal command


douglas macarthur (rear), jean macarthur, , son arthur macarthur iv returning philippines visit in 1950.

within weeks of chinese attack, macarthur forced retreat north korea. seoul fell in january 1951, , both truman , macarthur forced contemplate prospect of abandoning korea entirely. european countries did not share macarthur s world view, distrusted judgment, , afraid might use stature , influence american public re-focus american policy away europe , towards asia. concerned might lead major war china, possibly involving nuclear weapons. since in february 1950 soviet union , china had signed defensive alliance committing each go war if other party attacked, possibility american attack on china cause world war iii considered real @ time. in visit united states in december 1950, british prime minister, clement attlee, had raised fears of british , other european governments general macarthur running show.

under ridgway s command, eighth army pressed north again in january. inflicted heavy casualties on chinese, recaptured seoul in march 1951, , pushed on 38th parallel. improved military situation, truman saw opportunity offer negotiated peace but, on 24 march, macarthur called upon china admit had been defeated, simultaneously challenging both chinese , own superiors. truman s proposed announcement shelved.

on 5 april, representative joseph william martin, jr., republican leader in house of representatives, read aloud on floor of house letter macarthur critical of truman s europe-first policy , limited-war strategy. letter concluded with:

it seems strangely difficult realize here in asia communist conspirators have elected make play global conquest, , have joined issue raised on battlefield; here fight europe s war arms while diplomats there still fight words; if lose war communism in asia fall of europe inevitable, win , europe avoid war , yet preserve freedom. pointed out, must win. there no substitute victory.

in march 1951 secret united states intercepts of diplomatic dispatches disclosed clandestine conversations in general macarthur expressed confidence tokyo embassies of spain , portugal succeed in expanding korean war full-scale conflict chinese communists. when intercepts came attention of president truman, enraged learn macarthur not trying increase public support position on conducting war, had secretly informed foreign governments planned initiate actions counter united states policy. president unable act since not afford reveal existence of intercepts , because of macarthur s popularity public , political support in congress. however, following release on april 5 representative martin of macarthur s letter, truman concluded relieve macarthur of commands without incurring unacceptable political damage.

truman summoned secretary of defense george marshall, chairman of joint chiefs omar bradley, secretary of state dean acheson , averell harriman discuss macarthur. concurred macarthur should relieved of command, made no recommendation so. although felt correct purely military point of view , aware there important political considerations well. truman , acheson agreed macarthur insubordinate, joint chiefs avoided suggestion of this. insubordination military offense, , macarthur have requested public court martial similar of billy mitchell. outcome of such trial uncertain, , might have found him not guilty , ordered reinstatement. joint chiefs agreed there little evidence general macarthur had ever failed carry out direct order of joint chiefs, or acted in opposition order. in point of fact, bradley insisted, macarthur had stretched not legally violated jcs directives. had violated president s 6 december directive [not make public statements on policy matters], relayed him jcs, did not constitute violation of jcs order. truman ordered macarthur s relief ridgway, , order went out on 10 april bradley s signature.

in 3 december 1973 article in time magazine, truman quoted saying in 1960s:

i fired him because wouldn t respect authority of president. didn t fire him because dumb son of bitch, although was, s not against law generals. if was, half three-quarters of them in jail.

the relief of famous general unpopular politician communicating congress led constitutional crisis, , storm of public controversy. polls showed majority of public disapproved of decision relieve macarthur. february 1952, 9 months later, truman s approval rating had fallen 22 percent. of 2014, remains lowest gallup poll approval rating recorded serving president. increasingly unpopular war in korea dragged on, truman s administration beset series of corruption scandals, , decided not run re-election. beginning on may 3, 1951, joint senate committee—chaired democrat richard russell, jr.—investigated macarthur s removal. concluded removal of general macarthur within constitutional powers of president circumstances shock national pride.