So did my great uncle, but he couldn’t stand him. Of course that may have come from being bayonetted a couple times while Mac was enjoying his Australian jaunt. Different perspectives, I suppose. From what I hear, he was very charismatic.
Again your major beef with MacArthur seem to be the he left the Philippines to Australia. .. fair enough. ...
But do you deny he was given a direct presidential order to do that...
do you also denied as he was the primary force on getting the United States to retake the Philippines as soon as possible instead of bypassing it.
MacArthur full intended to stay with his command in the Philippines. He was ordered out by President Roosevelt and the Army, and even then MacArthur resisted like an insubordinate junior officer. Ultimately, MacArthur obeyed the orders of his superiors. it was fortunate too, because he was instrumental in keeping the Australians from succumbing to the panic they were already experiencing prior to his arrival and speeches. There was even a group of Australian politicians and civic leaders in contact with Japanese intelligence officers discussing surrender terms and an Australian collaborationist government when MacArthur’s arrival and organization of the Allied defense disrupted.