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The son of the senior U.S. Army general, MacArthur graduated first in his class at West Point in 1903. After earning a chestful of medals for bravery in Mexico and the Western Front in World War I, his meteoric career included a stint as superintendent at West Point in the 1920s, where he promoted athletics and modernized the curriculum. He served two terms as the Army's chief-of-staff under Presidents Herbert Hoover (a pacifist) and Franklin Roosevelt (a Navy man). in the 1930s. He retired in 1937, then set out to create a new army for the Philippines, which was in transition to independence. He was recalled to active duty in mid-1941 as war with Japan loomed.  Driven out of the Philippines in 1942, he assumed command in Australia of the Southwest Pacific Theater. He battled the Japanese through New Guinea and the Philippines, and was in charge of the invasion of Japan scheduled for late 1945. Instead, he received Japan's surrender in a dramatic ceremony aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. As supreme commander of the forces occupying Japan, he democratized and reformed Japan, rebuilding the nation and creating a lasting friendship between the former enemies. Unexpectedly given command of United Nations forces at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, he landed troops at Inchon in a daring amphibious assault that led to a routing of the invading enemy.  Ordered to unify Korea, his advance was halted by Communist China in a bitterly cold contest that saw the Americans and their allies retreat. In the wake of bitter disagreements with President Harry Truman about American strategy, he was recalled, his celebrated career abruptly ended. He is considered a hero by conservatives, and a dangerous enemy by liberals.

The son of the senior U.S. Army general, MacArthur graduated first in his class at West Point in 1903. After earning a chestful of medals for bravery in Mexico and the Western Front in World War I, his meteoric career included a stint as superintendent at West Point in the 1920s, where he promoted athletics and modernized the curriculum. He served two terms as the Army's chief-of-staff under Presidents Herbert Hoover (a pacifist) and Franklin Roosevelt (a Navy man). in the 1930s. He retired in 1937, then set out to create a new army for the Philippines, which was in transition to independence. He was recalled to active duty in mid-1941 as war with Japan loomed.  Driven out of the Philippines in 1942, he assumed command in Australia of the Southwest Pacific Theater. He battled the Japanese through New Guinea and the Philippines, and was in charge of the invasion of Japan scheduled for late 1945. Instead, he received Japan's surrender in a dramatic ceremony aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. As supreme commander of the forces occupying Japan, he democratized and reformed Japan, rebuilding the nation and creating a lasting friendship between the former enemies. Unexpectedly given command of United Nations forces at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, he landed troops at Inchon in a daring amphibious assault that led to a routing of the invading enemy.  Ordered to unify Korea, his advance was halted by Communist China in a bitterly cold contest that saw the Americans and their allies retreat. In the wake of bitter disagreements with President Harry Truman about American strategy, he was recalled, his celebrated career abruptly ended. He is considered a hero by conservatives, and a dangerous enemy by liberals.

==Early life==

==Early life==

Douglas MacArthur was the third son of Arthur MacArthur, a senior officer in the U.S. Army and winner of the [[Medal of Honor]] for actions at Missionary Ridge during the [[American Civil War]].  His oldest brother, Arthur III (1876-1923), had a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, seeing action in the [[Spanish-American War]] of 1898, the [[Boxer Rebellion]], and the First World War.  Second son Malcolm was born in 1878, and died at the age of five, which left a mark that Douglas could never forget.  "His premature death left a gap in my life which has never been filled," he would write some forty years later. [http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0126.html]

Douglas MacArthur was the third son of Arthur MacArthur, a senior officer in the U.S. Army and winner of the [[Medal of Honor]] for actions at Missionary Ridge during the [[American Civil War]].  His oldest brother, Arthur III (1876-1923), had a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, seeing action in the [[Spanish-American War]] of 1898, the [[Boxer Rebellion]], and the First World War.  Second son Malcolm was born in 1878, and died at the age of five, which left a mark that Douglas could never forget.  "His premature death left a gap in my life which has never been filled," he would write some forty years later. [https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0126.html]

Douglas was born into the Army at Fort Dodge, [[Arkansas]] on January 26, 1880, in a section of the base armory that had been converted to a hospital. His mother, Mary Pinkney Hardy MacArthur, who was affectionately called "Pinky", was a proper Southern lady who was not used to hot and dusty western outposts as a place to raise a family; nevertheless she did, and seeing places like New Mexico's Fort Selden made a great impression on young Douglas. "My first memory was the sound of bugles," Douglas wrote in his ''Reminiscences.'' "It was here I learned to ride and shoot even before I could read or write - indeed, almost before I could walk or talk."  

Douglas was born into the Army at Fort Dodge, [[Arkansas]] on January 26, 1880, in a section of the base armory that had been converted to a hospital. His mother, Mary Pinkney Hardy MacArthur, who was affectionately called "Pinky", was a proper Southern lady who was not used to hot and dusty western outposts as a place to raise a family; nevertheless she did, and seeing places like New Mexico's Fort Selden made a great impression on young Douglas. "My first memory was the sound of bugles," Douglas wrote in his ''Reminiscences.'' "It was here I learned to ride and shoot even before I could read or write - indeed, almost before I could walk or talk."  

* These pressures have already caused us to depart sharply from the course so long held toward national strength and moral greatness. Our economic statute built under the incentive of free enterprise is imperiled by our drift through the back door of confiscatory taxation toward socialism.  

* These pressures have already caused us to depart sharply from the course so long held toward national strength and moral greatness. Our economic statute built under the incentive of free enterprise is imperiled by our drift through the back door of confiscatory taxation toward socialism.  

* It is a singular habit in this country to raise high the military when war threatens, but to ignore security needs in the pleasanter times of peace.<ref>Cleveland OH, 09-06-1951</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=sfJEP29EXXMC&pg=PA45&dq=general+douglas+macarthur+quotes&ei=dX0pS9CKJ4zIyQTKpdymCw&cd=9#v=onepage&q=&f=false Douglas MacArthur, Edward T. Imparato (USAF Ret.), ''General MacArthur: wisdom and visions'', pp. 43-45]</ref>   

* It is a singular habit in this country to raise high the military when war threatens, but to ignore security needs in the pleasanter times of peace.<ref>Cleveland OH, 09-06-1951</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=sfJEP29EXXMC&pg=PA45&dq=general+douglas+macarthur+quotes&ei=dX0pS9CKJ4zIyQTKpdymCw&cd=9#v=onepage&q=&f=false Douglas MacArthur, Edward T. Imparato (USAF Ret.), ''General MacArthur: wisdom and visions'', pp. 43-45]</ref>   

* Are we going to preserve the religious base to our origin, our growth and our progress, or yield to the devious assaults of atheistic or other anti-religious forces?<ref>Cleveland OH, 09-06-1951</ref><ref>ibid. p. 125</ref>     

* Are we going to preserve the religious base to our origin, our growth and our progress, or yield to the devious assaults of atheistic or other anti-religious forces?<ref>Cleveland OH, 09-06-1951</ref><ref>ibid. p. 125</ref>     

* I promise to keep on living as though I expected to live forever. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.

* I promise to keep on living as though I expected to live forever. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.

* I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=F-ILUHbWtncC&pg=PA175&dq=I+am+concerned+for+the+security+of+our+great+Nation%3B+not+so+much+because+of+any+threat+from+without,+but+because+of+the+insidious+forces+working+from+within.&ei=SKjPS6WRC4T6zATDtLDOCQ&cd=2 General MacArthur Speeches and Reports 1908-1964‎ - Page 175, Edward T. Imparato]</ref>

* I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=F-ILUHbWtncC&pg=PA175&dq=I+am+concerned+for+the+security+of+our+great+Nation%3B+not+so+much+because+of+any+threat+from+without,+but+because+of+the+insidious+forces+working+from+within.&ei=SKjPS6WRC4T6zATDtLDOCQ&cd=2 General MacArthur Speeches and Reports 1908-1964‎ - Page 175, Edward T. Imparato]</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

*[http://www.macarthurmemorial.org/ MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk, Virginia]

*[http://www.macarthurmemorial.org/ MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk, Virginia]

*[http://vvl.lib.msu.edu/record.cfm?recordid=4345 Complete audio file of Japanese Surrender onboard USS ''Missouri'', Sept. 2, 1945, from Vincent Voice Library, Michigan State University]

*[http://vvl.lib.msu.edu/record.cfm?recordid=4345 Complete audio file of Japanese Surrender onboard USS ''Missouri'', Sept. 2, 1945, from Vincent Voice Library, Michigan State University]

*[http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0126.html Obituary of MacArthur.]

*[https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0126.html Obituary of MacArthur.]

*[http://www.medalofhonor.com/DouglasMacArthur.htm Medal of Honor]

*[http://www.medalofhonor.com/DouglasMacArthur.htm Medal of Honor]

*[http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmacarthurfarewelladdress.htm Complete text and audio of his Farewell to Congress, April 19, 1951.]

*[http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmacarthurfarewelladdress.htm Complete text and audio of his Farewell to Congress, April 19, 1951.]