MacArthur Memorial Podcast

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Nimrod Frazer, author of the book Send the Alabamians: World War I Fighters in the Rainbow Division, spoke about Douglas MacArthur and his time with the 42nd Rainbow Division in France. Mr. Frazer is a Korean War veteran and a recipient of the Silver...

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Mitchell Yockelson, author of the book “MacArthur: America’s General,” gave a brief overview of some of General MacArthur’s World War II service. MacArthur: America’s General was published by Thomas Nelson as part of the General’s series. Have a comm...

In April 2014, as part of the MacArthur Memorial’s 50th Anniversary Commemoration, the Memorial hosted a special speaker series. One of the speakers, Dan Rice, coauthored the book: West Point Leadership: Profiles of Courage. This book features hundreds of short biographies of prominent West Point graduates – including leaders like MacArthur, Eisenhower, Grant, Pershing, and Petraeus. While at the...

General Douglas MacArthur died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on April 5, 1964. Years before, President John F. Kennedy had authorized an elaborate State Funeral for MacArthur. On the General’s death, President Johnson reaffirmed Kennedy’s directive and ordered that MacArthur be buried "with all the honor a grateful nation can bestow on a departed hero." Over the next week, MacArthur...

The air war in the Pacific Theater during World War II is often overlooked and over-shadowed by the battles which took place in the skies above Europe. In the Pacific, the Far East Air Forces – “MacArthur’s Air Force” - operated out of more than 50 different islands, flew over an area larger than the United States, and carried the war from Australia to Japan itself, all while turning men and aircr...

On April 9th 1942, Bataan fell to the Japanese. The defenders had bravely held out, but the Japanese juggernaut was unstoppable. As prisoners of war they were forced to march many miles on what became known as the Bataan Death March, only to stop at the infamous Camp O’Donnell, where thousands died from starvation, sickness, and the brutal treatment of their captors. In the months and years that f...

Between 1905-1906, a twenty-five year old Lieutenant Douglas MacArthur traveled through Asia with his father Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur and his mother Mary Hardy MacArthur. Over a period of nine months, he traveled 19,949 miles from Japan to Calcutta, across the plains of India, to the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan, and south to what is now Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam. He then traveled...

Arthur MacArthur III, older brother of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, was a United States naval officer for thirty one years. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second highest award next to the Medal of Honor, and the Distinguished Service Medal for service in World War I. He was a man of his own making and during his life he never lived in the shadow of his now famous younger broth...

French military historian Henri Lachouque once wrote: “An old adage runs ‘There is no Temple without a God and no Throne without a Guard.’ But there are guards and Guards.” Lachouque was referring to Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, an elite unit which served as the French Emperor’s personal bodyguard and also as his “shock troops” to whom he turned for the most difficult assignments on the battlefield....

On June 13, 1899, Douglas MacArthur entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. It was the fulfillment of a boyhood ambition and it was to be the start of his extraordinary military career. But, it was nearly over before it began. A little over a year into his time at West Point, a controversy erupted over allegations that hazing at West Point had resulted in the death of a cadet. As...

When most people think of General MacArthur, they think of his ability to communicate - his ability to know the value of a good photo-op, his ability to spin stories to reporters and his ability to make dramatic headlines. In many respects, his media savvy was an innate talent. In other more technical aspects though, such as understanding the influence of the media, its ability to sway public opin...

Baseball came to Japan in the late nineteenth century and quickly grew in popularity. As Japanese interest in the sport grew, Japanese leagues and school teams were formed. Visiting American teams played some of these Japanese teams – and usually won – but even in defeat, Japanese baseball players were learning from the best players in the world and were demonstrating great skill. In 1934, an Amer...

In September 1945, with the surrender and occupation of Japan, drastic changes took place that altered the way of life for the Japanese people. Within an incredibly short period of time, Japanese society experienced a complete social revolution. The revised Meiji Constitution that came out of the Occupation enfranchised the people of Japan, but most particularly, the women of the country with the...

General MacArthur’s arrival in Australia in March of 1942 was an electrifying event for many Australians. His presence sent a strong signal that the United States was committed to the defense of Australia and to the war against Japan. MacArthur uttered his famous “I Shall Return” promise in Australia, and it was there that he began gathering forces for the next phase of the war. By July 1942, MacA...

In terms of personality and style, it would be difficult to find two more different men than General MacArthur and General Eisenhower. Praised by newspapers as “Destiny’s Child,” and “Mars,” General MacArthur was larger than life - dramatic, proud, and aristocratic. In contrast, General Eisenhower was often described by his contemporaries as personable, steady, and far more practical than MacArthu...

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 s...

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 w...

Visiting 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. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Support the show Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880 ; @AEWilliamsClark Fac...

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. Howe...

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 Australia...

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 person...

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 atr...

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 Cru...

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 eve...

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, th...