Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur, (1880-1964). US general. The son of a US governor of the Philippines, he trained at West Point and served in World War I. He was later chief of staff to the US army (1930-35). In 1941 he was recalled from retirement to lead the defence of the Philippines against the Japanese. Although forced to withdraw, he reconquered the islands in 1944-45 and was ap-pointed commander of all US army forces in the Pacific. He accepted the Japanese surrender in September 1945 and headed the occupying forces in Japan until 1950. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, he was appointed commander of the UN troops’defending South Korea against North Korean forces backed by communist China. His wish to extend the war by bombing China provoked his dismissal by President Truman. Although a brilliant strategist, MacArthur was considered arrogant and self-willed by many colleagues and superiors.
