Douglas MacArthur was born on January 26th, 1880 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was the youngest of three boys born to future Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur Jr. and Mary Pinkney Hardy of Norfolk, Virginia.
Early Education
MacArthur attended West Texas Military Academy where he became an excellent student. It was his dream to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Being accepted into West Point was very difficult, but in 1898 his ambitions came to fruition and he was accepted at West Point.
In 1903 he graduated top of his class of 93 and was awarded "First Captain Of The Corps Of Cadets" for his outstanding academics, military training, and athletic abilities. Upon graduation the rank of Second Lieutenant was bestowed upon him and his first tour of duty in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be served in the Philippines, a country he would come to love dearly.
Early Combat Experience
In 1914 MacArthur took part in a conflict between the U.S. and Mexico called the "Vera Cruz Expedition" in which The United States occupied the Mexican port of Veracruz for six months during the Mexican Revolution.
The occupation was in response to Germany's importation or arms to rebel leader “Victoriano Huerta” who had staged a coup of the Mexican Government. Huerta was later overthrown and MacArthur had distinguished himself in battle but was criticized for being over-jealous and disobeying orders.
This wouldn't be the last time he would be in trouble with superiors but MacArthur’s career continued to blossom and he was elevated in rank to full Colonel and decided to transfer from the Corps of Engineers to the Infantry.
World War I
During the first World War MacArthur served as Chief of Staff in France of the 42nd “Rainbow” Division and later was promoted to Brigadier General and became commander of the 84th Infantry Brigade. He was the most decorated American soldier of the war and received two Distinguished Service Crosses, seven Silver Stars, one Distinguished Service Metals, and two Purple Hearts.
In 1919 after the war ended he accepted the role as Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he remained until 1922 after making many reforms and formalizing the academy’s Cadet Honor Code. He then returned to the Philippines for eight years where he served as commander of the Philippine Department and in 1925 was promoted to Major General, the youngest officer ever to achieve that rank.
World War II
MacArthur resigned his commission in 1937 and accepted Philippine President Quezon’s request to take on the rank of Field Marshal and help the Philippine government rebuild its military. In 1941 he was recalled back to active duty by U.S. President Roosevelt and named commander of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East.
MacArthur was the Allied Commander in the Philippines in 1941 when Hawaii was attacked by the Empire of Japan. The forces in the Philippines were no more prepared for the massive aggressiveness of the Japanese then their counter parts at Pearl Harbor and were surprised, under staffed, and ill supplied to hold the Philippine Islands.
MacArthur was forced to relocate his command to Melbourne, Australia in 1942 and abandon his headquarters at Corregidor. The Philippines shortly thereafter fell to the Empire of Japan. MacArthur vehemently promised to oust the Japanese from the Philippines. In October of 1944 he returned to the Philippines and after hard fighting totally recaptured and defeated all the invading Japanese forces.
After The War
On September 2, 1945 MacArthur accepted the formal Japanese surrender thus ending World War II . MacArthur then was instrumental in the prosecution of Japanese war criminals, including General Homma, who was held responsible for the ‘Bataan Death March.”
He then became Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in Japan. MacArthur helped Japan rebuild and institute a democratic government. He remained as overseer in Japan until 1951. MacArthur would go on to serve in yet another war in Korea and was relieved of command following a series of disputes with U.S. President Truman.
Although a controversial soldier who has been widely criticized by military historians for their perceptions and their opinions that he made many military blunders and misjudgments, Douglas MacArthur was highly respected and honored during his life and after his death which came on April 5th, 1964 at the age of eighty-four.
Learn more about another controversial soldier George Patton
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