American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964
by William Manchester
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Book Summary Information
Author: William ManchesterEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1978-09-30
ISBN: 0091365104
Number of pages: 793
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Book Reviews of American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964
Book Review: Superb Look at Complex Figure
Summary: 5 Stars
This superb biography examines the many sides to General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964); superb commander in war and peace, vain malcontent, and megalomaniac. The author begins by examining his famous father`s service in the Civil War. Then we learn of MacArthur's upbringing and days at West Point (graduating first in his class in 1900), and his reckless bravery during World War I. As the author shows, MacArthur was a progressive-minded superintendent at West Point from 1919-1922, and chief of staff during the 1930's (where his aide was Major Eisenhower). Then we learn of his skilful island-hopping as commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific during World War II. My late uncle served in the Philippines and cursed MacArthur's name 50 years later, but Mac was talented and sparing of his soldier's lives. Ironically, his greatest success may have been as military governor of occupied Japan, where he helped implement democratic reforms. Then came his blundering command in Korea (1950-51) where he misread Chinese intentions and went over President Truman`s head - for which Truman rightly fired him. Mac had previously doubled-crossed President Hoover over the Bonus Army and made juvenile threats to President Roosevelt over retaking the Philippines. In his last years, he advised against action in Vietnam. As the author shows, a complex figure, talented but flawed.
William Manchester (1922-2004) was a superbly readable historian, who used a nice mix of quotes, memos, messages, and family life to describe MacArthur. The result is a well-crafted, balanced account of a man the author probably disliked but admired. Readers should also consider the author`s other superb books, THE GLORY AND THE DREAM, ARMS OF KRUPP, etc.
Summary of American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964
Part One Of Two PartsMacArthur was not only a lean, chiseled military genius and master of strategy; he also suffered unexplained lapses. For example, he knew of the Pearl Harbor attack but neglected to deploy his Philippine air force, a failure which resulted in its total destruction. And the success of his Inchon invasion was all but undone by the Chinese hordes that later swarmed across the Yalu--a response easily predicted, disastrously ignored."AMERICAN CAESAR is gracefully written, impeccably researched and scrupulous in every way...a thrilling and profoundly ponderable piece of work." (Newsweek)General Books
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