Re: Favorite US Military General?
I've given it some thought and if you made me pick an American general I'd have to go with MacArthur, the depth and breadth of his accomplishments and career is astonishing. Three times recommended for the Medal of Honor (awarded once), awarded the Distinguished Service Cross three times, 2 Purple Hearts and 7 Silver Stars in WWI! Valedictorian of his class at West Point. Commandant of West Point. General of the Army. Field Marshall in the Army of the Philippines. Recaptured the Philippines. Commanded our efforts which ultimately crushed Japan's empire. Accepted Japan's surrender on the Missouri. Transitioned Japan from feudal militarism to democracy with enlightened administration. Masterminded the Inchon landings.
Any one of those major accomplishments would be enough to justify consideration as America's greatest. But all of them? Manchester had it right: American Caesar.
MacArthur at West Point in 1962:
"The shadows are lengthening for me. The twilight is here. My days of old have vanished, tone and tint. They have gone glimmering through the dreams of things that were. Their memory is one of wondrous beauty, watered by tears, and coaxed and caressed by the smiles of yesterday. I listen vainly, but with thirsty ears, for the witching melody of faint bugles blowing reveille, of far drums beating the long roll. In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory, always I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country. Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thoughts will be of The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps. I bid you farewell."
I've given it some thought and if you made me pick an American general I'd have to go with MacArthur, the depth and breadth of his accomplishments and career is astonishing. Three times recommended for the Medal of Honor (awarded once), awarded the Distinguished Service Cross three times, 2 Purple Hearts and 7 Silver Stars in WWI! Valedictorian of his class at West Point. Commandant of West Point. General of the Army. Field Marshall in the Army of the Philippines. Recaptured the Philippines. Commanded our efforts which ultimately crushed Japan's empire. Accepted Japan's surrender on the Missouri. Transitioned Japan from feudal militarism to democracy with enlightened administration. Masterminded the Inchon landings.
Any one of those major accomplishments would be enough to justify consideration as America's greatest. But all of them? Manchester had it right: American Caesar.
MacArthur at West Point in 1962:
"The shadows are lengthening for me. The twilight is here. My days of old have vanished, tone and tint. They have gone glimmering through the dreams of things that were. Their memory is one of wondrous beauty, watered by tears, and coaxed and caressed by the smiles of yesterday. I listen vainly, but with thirsty ears, for the witching melody of faint bugles blowing reveille, of far drums beating the long roll. In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory, always I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country. Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thoughts will be of The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps. I bid you farewell."
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