The Dismissal of Douglas MacArthur

The Dismissal of Douglas MacArthur


 At the start of the war in Korea, MacArthur had come up with some important strategies and maneuvers, including the amphibious landing of incheon that stopped the advancing North Koreans. As U.S. and United Nations forced the communists back, MacArthur argued for a policy of pushing into North Korea to completely defeat the communist forces. Truman went along with this plan, but worried that the communist government of the People’s Republic of China might take the invasion as a hostile act and intervene in the conflict. MacArthur assured Truman that the chances of a Chinese intervention were slim. Then, in November and December 1950, hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops crossed into North Korea, driving the U.S. troops back into South Korea. MacArthur then asked for permission to bomb communist China. Truman flatly refused these requests and a public argument began to develop.In April 1951, President Truman fired MacArthur and replaced him with Gen Matthew Ridgeway. On 11th April, Truman addressed the nation and explained his actions. General MacArthur had been fired to prevent the spread of conflict.


Comments

  1. Hums Teacher30 November 2018 at 06:06

    I would just be clear in some of your points. "General MacArthur had been fired to prevent the spread of conflict." - By this you mean he was fired to prevent the war from expanding into a greater conflict which could encourage Soviet intervention. Good coverage here though - well done.

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