Changes

General '''Douglas MacArthur''' was one of the great military strategists in [[World War II]], and responsible for governing and rebuilding [[Japan]] during the [[Allied]] occupation. A career military officer, he spent his entire adult life in the military.

General '''Douglas MacArthur''' was one of the great military strategists in [[World War II]], and responsible for governing and rebuilding [[Japan]] during the [[Allied]] occupation. A career military officer, he spent his entire adult life in the military.

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 warfare 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 [[conservative]]s, and a dangerous enemy by [[liberal]]s.

==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. [https://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]