Macarthur Memorial Podcast

A photograph of the United States Military Academy Class of 1903 was taken the day the young men of that class were admitted to the school as plebes in 1899. Of the 160 that posed for that photograph, 93 of them would graduate four years later. Douglas MacArthur graduated top in this class – and of his classmates, he had the longest career and earned the most honors and decorations. However, his service was no more dedicated than that of his classmates. Members of his graduating class represented the United States in the Olympics, in World War I, World War II, and were also pioneers in business, academia, and science. This month’s podcast highlights the many accomplishments of the Class of 1903.

As a boy, General Douglas MacArthur’s mother exhorted him to follow the example of George Washington. What was implied in this advice was that he should become a general and a president. As he grew older, his career would take shape with an eye on the White House. Most American generals with presidential ambitions try to maneuver behind the scenes to be “drafted” for the job by others. MacArthur was no different. He would be a potential candidate in 1944, 1948, and 1952, but he would never officially declare himself a candidate and left his campaigning to surrogates. In the end, he would never become President, but his enormous popularity would put the office tantalizingly within his reach at times. This podcast will address MacArthur’s 1944 presidential ambitions.

Planning a visit to the MacArthur Memorial? Download a guided tour! Walk through the MacArthur Memorial gallery by gallery and explore the life and times of General MacArthur, as well as various items in the collection.

Assuming his duties as leader of the Occupation of Japan in September 1945, General MacArthur was faced with a daunting task. No modern occupation had been successful, and history was not in his favor. Some of the great commanders in history – including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Wellington, Kitchener, and Petain – had seen their battlefield triumphs unravel in occupations. However, just a few short weeks into the Occupation of Japan, on September 27, 1945, a single black and white photograph would set the Occupation on track for success. The photograph captured the first meeting between General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. This month’s podcast will examine this meeting and evaluate the effect it had on the Occupation.

The Papuan Campaign of 1942-1943 was one of the most costly of General MacArthur’s campaigns in the Southwest Pacific. Casualty rates exceeded those on Guadalcanal, and the learning curve for jungle fighting was particularly steep for American and Australian forces. The General made mistakes and ruffled the feathers of the U.S. Navy, military leaders in Washington, D.C., and those of his Australian allies. In the end however, he emerged victorious – confident that he had laid the groundwork for the return to the Philippines and ready to lead the next phase of the drive on Rabaul.

According to MacArthur biographer William Manchester, “American participation in the 1928 Olympics…was a MacArthur production.” As President of the U.S. Olympic Committee, MacArthur traveled to Amsterdam with Team U.S.A., marched in the Parade of Nations, and had a front row seat to all of the events. He would later write of his experiences: “Athletes are among the most temperamental of all persons, but I stormed and pleaded and cajoled. I told them we represented the greatest nation in the world, that we were there to win, and win decisively.” Under MacArthur’s leadership and constant encouragement, Team U.S.A. won decisively – winning the medal count and setting more World and Olympic records in international competition than any other nation to that date.

Following World War II, hundreds if not thousands of Japanese were accused of war crimes. General MacArthur’s appointment as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers on August 15, 1945 made him responsible for the prosecution of war criminals. Though MacArthur called this his “most repugnant duty,” he did not shy away from it. Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita was the first to face trial for atrocities committed by Japanese troops. MacArthur informed his staff that Yamashita’s trial would be the “bellwether” and predictably, his hand was heavy on the proceedings. In the end, Yamashita was easily convicted. For some, the trial reeked of victor’s justice. For others, regardless of the legal irregularities of the trial, command responsibility made Yamashita guilty of the atrocities committed by those under his authority. This month’s podcast will tell the story of MacArthur’s involvement in the Yamashita trial and the subsequent criticisms of the trial.

In 1914, as tensions between Mexico and the United States heightened, the United States occupied Vera Cruz, Mexico. President Wilson wished to avoid open war, but his generals and the Secretary of War wanted to be prepared for any contingency—even a total invasion of Mexico. Thirty-four year old Captain Douglas MacArthur was tapped to play a key role in their preparations for war. Sent to Vera Cruz on an intelligence gathering mission, MacArthur trekked deep into enemy territory in search of missing locomotives that the army could use in a potential invasion. Despite being attacked several times by armed men, he accomplished his mission – garnering his first nomination for the Medal of Honor. This month’s podcast will tell the story of MacArthur’s Vera Cruz mission – an event he later referred to as “a wild night under the Southern Cross.”

Douglas MacArthur came from a distinguished military family. His father Arthur, a Medal of Honor recipient, was a veteran of both the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Several of MacArthur’s mother’s brothers also served in uniform. Three of them attended Virginia Military Institute, and of these, two served in the 6th Virginia Infantry during the Civil War. The 6th Virginia fought in nearly every major engagement in the Virginia theater – including the controversial Battle of the Crater in July 1964 at Petersburg. This month’s podcast will examine the 6th Virginia and the military service of MacArthur’s maternal uncles – revealing an often overlooked chapter of General Douglas MacArthur’s military ancestry.

For many young women in 1940, being an Army or Navy nurse meant a life of adventure and independence – a thrilling alternative to a normal, routine life. Those stationed in the Philippines looked forward to a life of luxury – and it was even said that no nurse’s wardrobe was complete without an evening gown and a swimsuit. All of this changed abruptly on December 7, 1941. Thrust into a warzone, these nurses found themselves struggling to save lives in the jungles of Bataan and in the tunnels of Corregidor. Within a year, they would all be prisoners of the Japanese Army. This month’s podcast provides a brief overview of these women’s military service.

The Medal of Honor is the highest honor that any member of the armed forces can receive. The award is granted to a person who distinguishes “himself by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of…life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual combat with the enemy.” General Douglas MacArthur received the Medal of Honor on April 1, 1942. Prior to this, MacArthur had displayed courageous actions in Vera Cruz, Mexico and in France during World War I which had almost resulted in him receiving the Medal of Honor. This podcast will explore these early events as well as explain the circumstances surrounding the award of the medal in1942.

Many people believe that with World War I, the horse became a relic of the past. This belief is understandable. More than any other war; the deadly stalemate of World War I proved that muscle and sinew could not resist the crushing force of modern mechanized war or chemical weapons. Nevertheless, while the horse faded from the battlefields of Western Europe, it did not become completely obsolete. The final charge of the U.S. Army Cavalry would take place in the Philippines during World War II. This historic charge pitted the exhausted 26th Cavalry Regiment against a vastly superior enemy force. This podcast will examine final charge – an event many historians have called a fitting tribute to the legacy of the U.S. Army Cavalry.

In 1925, the court martial of Billy Mitchell captured national attention. The trial was so sensational that it would go on to inspire numerous books and even a movie starring Gary Cooper. At the center of the controversy was Billy Mitchell, a man who is today recognized as the father of the United States Air Force. An advocate of air power at a time when few could envision aircraft ever having a major impact on the battlefield, Mitchell would be a martyr for this cause. Douglas MacArthur was a friend of Mitchell, but was also a member of the jury trying Mitchell. This month’s podcast will discuss the friendship between the two men and the events surrounding the court martial.

Today, many people are amazed to learn that General MacArthur and President Kennedy admired each other. Given MacArthur’s track record with Democrats and the generational gap between the two men, this is not surprising. Despite their differences however, Kennedy and MacArthur actually had a great deal in common – both were patrician and charismatic, both had been raised in an environment that valued drive, success, and destiny, and both had demonstrated courage in war. More than any other president, Kennedy understood MacArthur – and MacArthur reciprocated – respecting Kennedy far more than his predecessors. This month’s podcast explores the relationship between the two men.

Many people are familiar with General Douglas MacArthur’s famous “I shall return” pledge. The pledge was made after the General’s successful escape from the Philippines during World War II, and it soon became the cornerstone of his strategy in the Pacific Theatre as well as a rallying cry for the guerilla movement in the Philippines. Although the pledge is very famous, few people understand how difficult it was to make the promise a reality. This month’s podcast takes a look at the battles – both military and bureaucratic – that MacArthur fought to honor his promise.

Many visitors are curious about the building that houses General Douglas MacArthur’s tomb and museum. Known today as the MacArthur Memorial, the building was once the City of Norfolk’s City Hall and Courthouse. Constructed in 1850, the building has played a central role in many local and national dramas over the years. This month’s podcast delves into the history of the building - from the initial wishes of Norfolk’s citizens to create “a striking ornament” to represent the city, to the building’s eventual role as the MacArthur Memorial.

The careers of General Douglas MacArthur and General Jonathan Wainwright are indelibly intertwined with one of the darkest moments in American military history – the fall of the Philippines at the beginning of World War II. Even though both men received the Medal of Honor for their handling of the doomed situation in the Philippines, Bataan and Corregidor would haunt them for the rest of their lives. This month’s podcast highlights both men against the backdrop of Bataan and Corregidor.

During his 52 year military career, General Douglas MacArthur received more than 100 decorations – including the Medal of Honor – making him one of the most highly decorated officers in U.S. military history. Many of these decorations are on display in the MacArthur Memorial today, and visitors to the Memorial are often curious about the circumstances behind some of these awards. This podcast will provide background information on MacArthur’s three Distinguished Service Crosses, seven Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and two Purple Hearts.

As part of the material culture of the 1940s, comic books can provide World War II historians with information about everyday people and the times they lived in. Superman, Captain America, and other superheroes didn’t really fight in World War II, but the comics did influence public perceptions of the war and provide an outlet for national aspirations and fears. They created a black and white world of heroes and villains, whose adventures were acted out against the backdrop of a very real war and its very real players. As we will see, even General Douglas MacArthur was featured in the comics!

Mary “Pinky” Hardy MacArthur was a formidable woman. Her son General Douglas MacArthur regarded her as one of the dominating factors of his life. As Army Chief of Staff in the 1930’s, he remarked that she had raised his father to a Lieutenant General’s three stars, and he attributed his own greater success to the fact that she had a much earlier start with him. This month’s podcast provides a brief overview of the life of “Pinky” and her relationship with her son.