Macarthur Memorial Podcast

Today Jean MacArthur is largely in the shadow of her husband General Douglas MacArthur. By all accounts however, she was a vital member of his inner circle and many of her husband’s biographers considered her an “unusual” but extraordinary woman. She came from a family with a deeply rooted tradition of military service and had a great personal interest in American military history. In possession of a large inheritance, she had spent most of her twenties and thirties traveling around the world – attracting friends and prospective suitors wherever she went. On one of these journeys she was introduced to General Douglas MacArthur – a man 19 years her senior. After a year and a half courtship in Manila, they were married in 1937. MacArthur later wrote that marrying her was the smartest thing he ever did. Part I of the Jean MacArthur story will focus on her early life and marriage to General MacArthur up to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Are leaders born or made? Why do places like West Point seem to generate extremely high numbers of business, military, and political leaders? To answer these questions, we sat down with Major Adrienne M. Harrison - a West Point graduate and a veteran of three tours in Iraq. Major Harrison also holds a PhD in History and at the time of this interview was serving as an Assistant Professor of History in West Point's History Department

On October 19, 2014 the MacArthur Memorial, the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation, and the Embassy of the Philippines hosted a special reception to commemorate the October 20, 1944 Leyte Landings. The Memorial's Archivist Jim Zobel gave a short lecture on MacArthur's road back to the Philippines.

On July 24, 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted Mark Perry – author of the book: The Most Dangerous Man in America: The Making of Douglas MacArthur. Perry addressed the Roosevelt/MacArthur relationship and MacArthur’s service during World War II – shedding new light on the General and his legacy.

The seizure of the Admiralty Islands in February 1944 was one of the boldest operations of MacArthur’s Southwest Pacific campaign and perhaps the war in the Pacific. By capturing the islands, the 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Navy destroyers, and a handful of Seabees ensured that MacArthur would go on to become the Liberator of the Philippines.

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Nimrod Frazer, author of the book Send the Alabamians: World War I Fighters in the Rainbow Division, spoke about Douglas MacArthur and his time with the 42nd Rainbow Division in France. Mr. Frazer is a Korean War veteran and a recipient of the Silver Star.

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Mitchell Yockelson, author of the book “MacArthur: America’s General,” gave a brief overview of some of General MacArthur’s World War II service. MacArthur: America’s General was published by Thomas Nelson as part of the General’s series.

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Dan Rice, coauthored the book: West Point Leadership: Profiles of Courage. This book features hundreds of short biographies of prominent West Point graduates – including leaders like MacArthur, Eisenhower, Grant, Pershing, and Petraeus. While at the Memorial, Mr. Rice discussed West Point and how for centuries, the leadership skills of its graduates have translated into success on the battlefield, the boardroom, and in politics.

General Douglas MacArthur died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on April 5, 1964. Years before, President John F. Kennedy had authorized an elaborate State Funeral for MacArthur. On the General’s death, President Johnson reaffirmed Kennedy’s directive and ordered that MacArthur be buried "with all the honor a grateful nation can bestow on a departed hero." Over the next week, MacArthur’s body lay in state at the 7th Regimental Armory in New York City and then in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C, before coming to the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, VA – a place chosen by the General to be his final resting place. The funeral was held on April 11th, the thirteenth anniversary of MacArthur’s firing by President Truman during the Korean War. This podcast tells the story of the General’s final days and the impressive funeral that honored his service.

The air war in the Pacific Theater during World War II is often overlooked and over-shadowed by the battles which took place in the skies above Europe. In the Pacific, the Far East Air Forces – “MacArthur’s Air Force” - operated out of more than 50 different islands, flew over an area larger than the United States, and carried the war from Australia to Japan itself, all while turning men and aircraft around for the next mission as quickly as possible. Much of the success in the skies in the Pacific was due to the pairing of General Douglas MacArthur and his air chief General George Kenney, and Kenney’s ability to recognize talent and to get the most out of the officers and men under his command. This podcast tells the story of the creation and the role of the Far East Air Forces in World War II.

On April 9th 1942, Bataan fell to the Japanese. The defenders had bravely held out, but the Japanese juggernaut was unstoppable. As prisoners of war they were forced to march many miles on what became known as the Bataan Death March, only to stop at the infamous Camp O’Donnell, where thousands died from starvation, sickness, and the brutal treatment of their captors. In the months and years that followed, thousands of American and Filipino soldiers would be subject to atrocities that few could even fathom. When MacArthur’s forces returned to the Philippines in 1944-45, there were 500 of these American prisoners in a camp called Cabanatuan, on the main island of Luzon. Intelligence reports indicated that similar camps were being liquidated by the Japanese. Cabanatuan had to be liberated. This podcast will explore the fate of these prisoners of Bataan-Corregidor, and how 500 of them were saved in one of the most daring and heroic raids in history.

Between 1905-1906, a twenty-five year old Lieutenant Douglas MacArthur traveled through Asia with his father Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur and his mother Mary Hardy MacArthur. Over a period of nine months, he traveled 19,949 miles from Japan to Calcutta, across the plains of India, to the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan, and south to what is now Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam. He then traveled through China before returning to Japan. Writing of the trip decades later, MacArthur wrote: “[I visited] countless lands so rich in color, so fabled in legend, so vital to history that the experience was without a doubt the most important fact of preparation in my entire life.” For the rest of his life, and the remaining 45 years of his military career, this journey would inform his thoughts about the political, military, and economic potential of Asia. This fundamental knowledge would pay massive dividends – guiding and inspiring many of the major decisions he would later make as a senior leader in the regio

Arthur MacArthur III, older brother of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, was a United States naval officer for thirty one years. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second highest award next to the Medal of Honor, and the Distinguished Service Medal for service in World War I. He was a man of his own making and during his life he never lived in the shadow of his now famous younger brother. He died prematurely, however, in the prime of his life and in the middle of a promising naval career. As a result, he is often considered the “Forgotten MacArthur.”

French military historian Henri Lachouque once wrote: “An old adage runs ‘There is no Temple without a God and no Throne without a Guard.’ But there are guards and Guards.” Lachouque was referring to Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, an elite unit which served as the French Emperor’s personal bodyguard and also as his “shock troops” to whom he turned for the most difficult assignments on the battlefield. Throughout history some of the world’s most colorful and charismatic military leaders have surrounded themselves with a personal guard composed of hand-picked men. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur’s Honor Guard was one of the most important and visible parts of the General’s official family during the closing months of World War II and throughout the Occupation of Japan. The members of this elite unit were selected based on their military bearing, intelligence and physical stature, and every combat Division of the U.S. Army in the Pacific was represented in its ranks. They were the best of the best, because wh

On June 13, 1899, Douglas MacArthur entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. It was the fulfillment of a boyhood ambition and it was to be the start of his extraordinary military career. But, it was nearly over before it began. A little over a year into his time at West Point, a controversy erupted over allegations that hazing at West Point had resulted in the death of a cadet. As details of the hazing at West Point emerged, it ignited a firestorm of controversy. President William McKinley called for an investigation into the hazing, and some in congress even called for the abolition of the nation’s military academies. MacArthur would play a central role in this drama. Called before a military court of inquiry and then a congressional committee, MacArthur was soon making national headlines as he testified about his own experiences as a first year cadet.

When most people think of General MacArthur, they think of his ability to communicate - his ability to know the value of a good photo-op, his ability to spin stories to reporters and his ability to make dramatic headlines. In many respects, his media savvy was an innate talent. In other more technical aspects though, such as understanding the influence of the media, its ability to sway public opinion, and how to use it as a tool to promote an agenda, MacArthur actually had quite a bit of practical experience early on in his career. From 1916-1918, a young Douglas MacArthur served as the head of the War Departments new Bureau of Information. In this capacity he served as press censor and the primary liaison between the War Department and the media. As a result, he is today recognized as the Army’s first public relations officer. This podcast will discuss this period of service – an important, but often overlooked part of his early career.

Baseball came to Japan in the late nineteenth century and quickly grew in popularity. As Japanese interest in the sport grew, Japanese leagues and school teams were formed. Visiting American teams played some of these Japanese teams – and usually won – but even in defeat, Japanese baseball players were learning from the best players in the world and were demonstrating great skill. In 1934, an American All Star team including Babe Ruth, Moe Berg, Clint Brown, Jimmie Foxx, and Lou Gehrig arrived in Japan to play a series of exhibition games. In one game, Ruth, Gehrig, and Foxx were struck out in quick succession by Eiji Sawamura – a 17 year old Japanese pitcher. It was an incredible performance by the young pitcher and a sign that Japanese baseball was on the rise. During the Occupation of Japan, General MacArthur encouraged “baseball diplomacy” as a way to rebuild Japanese morale and create another bridge between the United States and Japan. Under MacArthur’s tenure, American teams once again traveled to

In September 1945, with the surrender and occupation of Japan, drastic changes took place that altered the way of life for the Japanese people. Within an incredibly short period of time, Japanese society experienced a complete social revolution. The revised Meiji Constitution that came out of the Occupation enfranchised the people of Japan, but most particularly, the women of the country with the inclusion of Articles 14 and 24. Women who had been denied enfranchisement were suddenly equal partners in the reemerging nation. General Douglas MacArthur was a vocal supporter of Japanese women’s rights and later explained: “Of all the reforms accomplished by the occupation in Japan, none was more heartwarming to me than this change in the status of women.” This podcast will explore the development of women’s rights in Japan during the Occupation.

General MacArthur’s arrival in Australia in March of 1942 was an electrifying event for many Australians. His presence sent a strong signal that the United States was committed to the defense of Australia and to the war against Japan. MacArthur uttered his famous “I Shall Return” promise in Australia, and it was there that he began gathering forces for the next phase of the war. By July 1942, MacArthur had located his General Headquarters in Brisbane. Today, the MacArthur Museum Brisbane commemorates the General’s time in Brisbane and highlights the history of Brisbane during the war. This podcast focuses on MacArthur’s time in Brisbane and features an interview with Col. John Dwyer and Col. Phillip Gould of the General Douglas MacArthur Brisbane Memorial Foundation.

In terms of personality and style, it would be difficult to find two more different men than General MacArthur and General Eisenhower. Praised by newspapers as “Destiny’s Child,” and “Mars,” General MacArthur was larger than life - dramatic, proud, and aristocratic. In contrast, General Eisenhower was often described by his contemporaries as personable, steady, and far more practical than MacArthur. Ten years MacArthur’s junior, Eisenhower would spend a great portion of his career working as MacArthur’s military aide. Predictably, their relationship was at times tense. Privately Eisenhower would write that MacArthur was a “genius” one day, and a “baby” the next. In a similar fashion, MacArthur would write that Eisenhower’s value to the Army was “Superior,” but would later make it clear in his autobiography that he thought himself far superior to Eisenhower. Publically however, both men always presented a united front – refusing to ever criticize each other in the press. This podcast will explore the M