Douglas MacArthur was certainly a dichotomy. A true genius and renowned reformer within the U.S. Army (especially at West Point and during the inter-World-War period) and a personally fearless leader as evidenced by his actions especially in the first World War but was overly egotistical and seemingly dismissive of comparable talent or dissonant views.
Graduating top of his class from West Point in 1903 his record of military service record beyond that point was impressive to say the least. While stationed in the Philippines in 1903 his unit was ambushed by guerillas and MacArthur rallied his small force, personally killing two of the rebels with his .45-cal pistol and was subsequently be recommended for his first of many awards for Valor, although it was turned down and a promotion to 1st LT was granted instead - the first promotion of many he would receive. In 1905 he was ADC to his father GEN Arthur MacArthur (a Medal of Honor recipient from the American Civil War) in a mission to Japan to resolve the Russo-Japanese War. In 1914 he was recommended for the Medal of Honor for fearlessly leading a mission against Mexican bandits during the U.S. occupation of Veracruz, and by the end of the First World War had been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General leading the famous 42nd "Rainbow Division" while again being nominated for the Medal of Honor (again not awarded) but having received two Distinguished Service Crosses and seven Silver Stars for personal bravery on the battlefield. Interestingly, during the First World War on the battlefield during the Argonne Offensive was the only recorded time MacArthur and Patton would personally meet.
Between the First & Second World Wars he served in many important positions for the U.S. Army to include The Superintendent of West Point where he tried to make several critical changes including an attempt to get rid of hazing, modernizing the curriculum, giving career appointments based upon academic achievement rather that political clout and even attempted to end racial black-balling within the academy of cadets and appointments to the academy. Most of these changes were strongly opposed by both faculty and alumni and after his term (1919-1922) and most were discarded shortly after his departure. Eventually though the academy would adopt these changes as necessary to keep relevant in a changing world. However, his uncompromising attitude during arguments to implement these actions during his tenure would gain him some powerful enemies within the Army and the government. Again, returning to the U.S. Philippines in 1923 as the Military Govenor General of Manila he would attempt to integrate the Philippine Scouts to roughly equal status with the U.S. Army but was thwarted by racial prejudices within the government and the Army and enduring enmity from his detractors. However, by 1930 He had risen to become the youngest Chief Of Staff the U.S. Army and was back in the States. It was during this period and following his divorce from his first wife that a few of his oddities started to manifest itself to the general public, like referring to himself in the 3rd person as "MacArthur" or "The General" and he started to cultivate a public relations image through the media at the time of him a strong anti-communist and the one person that knew how to lead the country out of The Depression. Several people commented that MacArthur had a court rather than a staff. He did work diligently (and successfully) to deter congress from further ravaging the military in cuts and funding than it already had though (approximately 50%) and additionally worked to reduce inter-service rivalries, especially in regard to aviation policies. His image within the services was somewhat tarnished with the old order however when he was on the Courts Martial Board for GEN Billy Mitchell and argued, unsuccessfully, for his acquittal. Add to this his handling of the Bonus March protesters and his public image had taken a beating as well. By 1937 he had officially resigned from the U.S. Army and would take a position as the Military Advisor to the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines with the rank of Field Marshall (the only one associated with the U.S. Army ever to be authorized to bear such a title). He would have a U.S. Army staff, to include COL Dwight D. Eisenhower, but would be paid by the Commonwealth of The Philippines and housed in almost royal status in Manila by the Philippine government. At the time he was the highest paid military advisor in the world and probably one of the most recognizable. In July 1941, after President Roosevelt had federalized the Philippine Defense Force and reinstated MacArthur into the U.S. Army, he would have had more time in the grade of general than almost any of the other generals of WW-II had time in the Army.
His actions in the Second World War and Korea are probably more well known, and still hotly debated, but it is interesting to know a bit of his previous history to put it into context. I personally haven't yet decided if I like/Respect/pity/hate the man but certainly am interested in such a figure. My father that had fought in the Pacific from Buna in New Guinea to the last day of the war in the Philippines loved the guy. My uncle that was captured in 1942 in the Philippines and spent almost 3 years in a Japanese POW camp hated him. I, that have read countless books on him and WW-II in particular, am torn in my feelings.
