MacArthur in the Korean War

Douglas MacArthur

(1880-1964), U.S. general. Commander of U.S. (later Allied) forces in the southwestern Pacific during World War II, he accepted Japan's surrender in 1945 and administered the ensuing Allied occupation. He was in charge of UN forces in Korea 1950-51, before being forced to relinquish command by President Truman.

Arguments against MacArthur

- Accused of waging war by remote control in Korea (he had been mainly based in Japan) - He had initially confused orders from Washington to Korea (Secretary of Defence told him he could use US troops near the Chinese border whereas Truman told him he couldn't) - He did not remove ineffective officers from their posts - He was seen as too rash in his decision making (believed that China would never intervene in the Korean War) - He was aging by the time the Korean War arrived (70 years old) - He became too powerful within the US army (his command of US forces in the Pacific, as well as the UNC, meant it became harder for MacArthur to be challenged by any politician or military leader) - MacArthur had been very outspoken during his time as a military general and would often attack Trumans wartime policies

Matt Ridgway

- Appointed to the US army in Korea in December 1950 when he became the Deputy Chief of Staff. - Was seen as the successor to MacArthur as he had been one of the few men brave enough to not be intimidated and challenge him - JCS told Ridgway that his job was to secure South Korea from the North Korean Army

Problems facing the Matt Ridgway in January 1951

- Chinese onslaught in the war - Morale of the 365,000 US/UN/ROK troops - MacArthur's stubbornness and arrogance with regards to taking command of the Korean War

Arguments for MacArthur

- Had experience (WW2 hero) - Success with SCAP and was still responsible for Japanese support throughout the Korean War - Masterminded the Inchon Landing - Was seen as invaluable to Truman initially

Statement on Taiwan

- In August 1950, MacArthur issued an unauthorised statement that the US needed to defend Taiwan - This prompted Truman to state that he should've sacked MacArthur after Inchon

MacArthurs requests following the retreat ?

- Insisted that he should be allowed to use atomic weapons - Demanded more troops (despite there being none available in the US or UN) - Wanted to use Jiang Jieshi's forces (despite them already being defeated by Mao's in the Chinese civil war) - Complained that he had to fight with 'an enormous handicap without precedent in military history' when he was denied permission to bomb China

Inchon Landing

By September 1950, the US suffered 8000 casualties and had been pinned back into the Pusan Perimeter In order to regain control of South Korea and push back North Korean forces, MacArthur advocated for US forces to sail across the Pusan Perimeter and into Inchon which resulted in American troops ambushing North Korean forces in Inchon From there, US/UN and ROK forces had advanced further towards Seoul and captured it by 27th September 1950.

When did US/UN/ROK forces abandon Pyongyang ?

December 1950

Korean War (1950-1953)

Korean War started in June 1950, when approximately 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People's Army crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea

MacArthur's promise

MacArthur assured US citizens at the start of the war that US forces would be back 'home for Christmas'

First Act of insubordination

MacArthur's first act of defiance towards Truman: - MacArthur later told Journalists that Asia was the main battleground and "limited war" (Trumans aim) was the wrong idea - He issued a communique stating that China had faced imminent military collapse

Second act of Insubordination

MacArthur's second act of defiance towards Truman: - MacArthur sent out a letter to Republican congressman Joseph Martin and gave Martin permission to read it in front of congress - The letter stated that "If we lose this war to Communism in Asia" the fall of Europe would inevitably follow. Again showing a clear stance against Truman - The reading of the letter had violated a JCS directive of December 1950 which stated all government officials had to obtain clearance before publishing comments on the war

Ridgway + JCS vs MacArthur

Ridgway had been told that Korea was not the place to fight a major war as fighting the Chinese would increase the threat of general war MacArthur had wanted to: - Destroy North Korea - Use Jiang Jieshis' forces on China - Place an American blockade of China

January 1951

The Chinese and North Koreans push the UN beyond the 38th parallel into South Korea. This included nearly 500,000 Chinese driving into Seoul while taking out American, ROK, British, Greek and Filipino forces in the process Seoul had been lost to the communists once again

Trumans peace initiative

Truman decided to issue a public declaration that the UN Command was willing to consider a cease-fire - On March 19 [1951] the Joint Chiefs and Secretaries Acheson and Marshall discussed a draft declaration that had been prepared by the Department of State. - The American plan again was to offer a cease-fire without prejudicing the U.S. position in regard to Taiwan or the admission of Red China to the United Nation

US public opinion on Korean War

US support for the Korean War decreased following Chinese intervention in the Korean War with the US/UN and ROK retreat being the main cause By 1951 when the Chinese had occupied Seoul: 49% of Americans felt sending troops to Korea had been a mistake and 66% felt that the US should abandon South Korea