General Douglas MacArthur's Farewell Speech: the long gray line has never failed us.

[What a price we pay for civilian control over the military. But in a democracy, there is no other alternative.]

You are correct, there is no other way. but this nation pays a dear price for the fools that it elects to the position of CIC. Well at least Bush for all his faults is a good CIC.

I very much dislike this idea that MacAuthor should be judged solely by his mistakes by not giving him credit for his achievements. I am going to go to my library and look up what Winston Churhhill had to say about MacAuthor. It was quite an accolade (sp) as I recall.

Great speech, thanks for the ping risk.

The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training - sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when he created man in his own image. No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of the Divine help which alone can sustain him. However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country, is the noblest development of mankind.

The FReeper Foxhole Profiles General Douglas MacArthur - June 14th, 2003

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Dugout Doug MacArthur lies ashakin' on the Rock Safe from all the bombers and from any sudden shock Dugout Doug is eating of the best food on Bataan And his troops go starving on.

Dugout Doug, come out from hiding Dugout Doug, come out from hiding Send to Franklin the glad tidings That his troops go starving on! (Manchester, pp. 237-38)

And President Truman "privately called the General 'a common coward' for leaving Corregidor in 1942" (Manchester, p. 672).

But nothing said about Douglas MacArthur could possibly be further from the truth. During the First World War he won the Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Cross, and Seven Silver Stars. Perret reports the following meeting of Brigadier General MacArthur and Colonel George S. Patton, Jr. in France on 12 September 1918: "'I walked right along the line of one brigade,' Patton wrote to his wife some hours later: 'They were all in shell holes except the general, Douglas MacArthur, who was standing on a little hill. . . . I joined him and the creeping barrage came along toward us. . . . I think each one wanted to leave but each hated to say so, so we let it come over us.' When a shell exploded nearby, throwing dirt on them, Patton remained erect but flinched. 'Don't worry, Colonel,' said MacArthur wryly. 'You never hear the one that gets you.' MacArthur's combat performance this day brought him his fifth Silver Star and Patton's enduring respect. He told his family MacArthur was 'the bravest man I ever met'" (p. 102).

As far as "Dugout Doug" is concerned, it is true that the General visited his troops on Bataan only once during his three-and-one-half months on Corregidor. But the reason is clearly that when he did so that one time, he told them help was on the way, because he had been told by Washington and believed that help was on the way. He could not bear to tell them later that it wasn't true. And he left Corregidor (with his wife and son) only because President Roosevelt ordered him to do so.

Nothing speaks more strongly of MacArthur's character than his willingness to resign on demand. Other generals in his position in history could have led a successful junta. After all, President Truman was demanding something much less than victory for the first time in our history.

If MacArthur had told his men that President Truman threatened the Republic's security, I doubt if many of them would have left his side.

But MacArthur had the courage of his convictions. He stepped down to prove that he had always been fighting for democracy. He alludes to the hissing, faithless, and spineless decades ahead in this speech, and yet he holds his head high. He has faith in the American spirit, in human strength. Free men, no matter how few they may be, will always triumph over the weaker, unprincipled ones.

We have more of those days when patriots must weigh their commitments to democracy and security ahead.

"That evening Hoover sent duplicate orders via two officers to MacArthur forbidding him to cross the Anacostia to clear the Bonus Army Marchers' camp, but MacArthur flatly ignored the President's orders, saying that he was 'too busy' and could not be 'bothered by people coming down and pretending to bring orders'."

The man twice ignored direct orders and led an army against WWI veterans which resulted in the deaths of two infants by tear gas. If this happened today, he would have been imprisoned. I wonder JPSB, according to your logic if he should have won the MOH for this, like his father.

You-all MacArthur supporters are either ignorant or under the sway of hero worship. This action by MacArthur has a close parallel with the Chinese army in Tiananmen Square. The difference here is that they were under direct orders and killed more.

I hope, I never see the day, when the government treats Veterans like this. Simply, disgusting.

yea, that is a stain on his record, but to be honest, the events of the day (re: orders) are still cloudy and hotly debated. Personally I think the General ignored the orders to halt his operation and Hoover covered his butt. Hoover, by the way, never stated that he ordered the operation stopped. So, there is good reason to believe Mac Author was in fact obeying his orders.

His military service spans what 50+ years? Most of that as a general officer, WW1, WW2, Korea. Who can go 50 years at a top leadership position in a life and death profession without making a mistake. Don't judge Mac Author by his mistakes, judge him by his entire career. He is almost unique in history, most great commanders shine brightly for a brief period of time and then fade. Mac Author achieved greatness thru out his entire career.

As well versed as you appear to be about MacArthur, did you know he and FDR were related??? Also FDR and others did not want him in presidential politics. Also, Gen. Marshall and the others shared your disdain for MacArthur so much that when the 5th stars were handed out, they were petty enough to make his promotion after theirs, Ike and the rest, even tho MacArthur was the senior officer in the military. To his credit MacArthur said nothing.

I would like to view the wartime records of Ike, Marshall and most of the other "heros". Most have none.

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