Go to stage 3: Book Review: Douglas MacArthur - The Far Eastern General by Michael Schaller

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Book Review: Douglas MacArthur - The Far Eastern General by Michael Schaller

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Oxford University Press (1989)

ISBN: 0735103542

I was disappointed with this biography, as it seemed to brush over MacArthur's military strategy to examine mainly the political relationships that he had, especially during his time as a senior officer. I believe that Schaller was writing a political biography, rather than a military biography, as the sub-title may suggest, given that the author refers to general. Schaller does focus on MacArthur's Asian time but again with a lot of material about how he related to the US political elite and leadership. I did try to figure out whether Schaller was being anti-MacArthur rather than impartial on his subject and I am still not convinced either way but I tend to think that he had little sympathy for his subject and hence may have been against MacArthur. By way of example he appeared to relish in relating details of MacArthur's firstmarriage and how his socialite wife delighted in deriding MacArthur's sexual ability. Yet Schaller does not appear to weigh such negative detail with other information that put MacArthur in a more positive light.

MacArthur is undoubtedly a controversial character and this book adds to that image of him. Schaller is critical of MacArthur's military skill. However, Schaller's criticisms are virtually left unproven since he does not delve into MacArthur's military operations in much detail, dismissing them as being the work of other people for which MacArthur tookcredit for. I think he often takes MacArthur's public statements at face value when those words can be used to be critical of MacArthur. Schaller relates MacArthur's assurances to the pre-war Philippines President, Manuel Quezon, about the ability of the Philippines to defend itself against a possible Japanese invasion. Then again MacArthur was unlikely to openly admit that the Philippines was open to all for attack. However, to show howcontroversial MacArthur was, Schaller justifiably highlights the payments that MacArthur took from the Philippines for his service, even after he re-entered US Army service.

Where Schaller does shine is his work on the political chain of command to MacArthur. The immediate post-war era is fascinating as the author describes the machinations behind the decisions to re-invent Japan. Interestingly, MacArthur did not support US bases in Japan. He was more interested in Taiwan and protecting it. The author gives the impression that MacArthur saw the loss of China as an affront and believed that he could, indeed should, reverse it. There was serious discussion in the US administration to give MacArthur free reign over Taiwan but the US State Department was reluctant to embrace Chiang Kai Shek.

It is well known that MacArthur saw the Korean War as a life-line for him just when it seemed that he was going to "fade away." I think that Schaller's treatment of the Incheon operation is light and because of that he misses the debate about how militarily innovative it was. I believe that this is a key question in examining MacArthur at that stage of his life given the events that would unfold when China entered the war. Was Incheon an example of military genius, if yes, then what happened to MacArthur after that so that he could not see the threat from China? Schaller is not necessarily being critical of MacArthur seeing as MacArthur was over 70 years of age at the start of the Korean War and entitled to a rest from public life.

If you are after a biography of MacArthur then I would suggest American Caesarinstead od Schaller's book. However, if you want to focus on the political dimensions of MacArthur's legacy then this is the book for you. If you are generally negative in your view of MacArthur then this book will be an easy read for you but if you have a positive view of MacArthur then you will need to approach this work with an open mind.

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