Books With Flair

"The Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Gandhi & Churchill goes beyond the mythologies of the World War II general to illuminate his strengths and weaknesses, placing his career against a backdrop of history while discussing how he shaped his character to meet national needs, "--NoveList.

Written in his own hand and finished only weeks before his death, this memoir by Gen. Douglas MacArthur spans more than half a century of modern history. His vantage point at center stage during the major controversies of the twentieth century afforded him unique views of the conflicts in which he played a vital role. No soldier in recent times has been more admired—or reviled. Liberator of the Philippines, shogun of occupied Japan, victor of the battle of Inchon, the general was a national hero when suddenly relieved of his duties by President Truman in 1950. His supporters believe his genius for command and skill as a strategist stand as landmarks in military history. His critics are not so kind, calling him a gigantic ego paying homage to himself in this book. Regardless, Reminiscences is a moving final testament by one of America’s most decorated heroes, decade by decade, battlefield by battlefield. After graduation from West Point with the highest average ever achieved by a cadet, MacArthur served in Vera Cruz during the Mexican uprisings and later in World War I. His courage in the trenches and his leadership of the famous Rainbow Division won him seven Silver Stars. Appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific in World War II, he was the architect of the campaign to drive the Japanese from their strongholds at Bataan, Corregidor, and New Guinea. His account of the war is dramatically punctuated with revealing portraits of key personalities and insights into his stands on controversial issues. Richly illustrated throughout. “Douglas MacArthur’s memoirs...record an extraordinary and controversial public career of more than fifty years—as MacArthur wanted it remembered.”—Newsweek “MacArthur was praised and blamed most of the time for the wrong reasons. His Reminiscences, written in the last two years of his life, should help put him back in perspective.”—Time

Under siege on the island of Corregidor, General Douglas MacArthur received a warning from the enemy. "You are well aware that you are doomed," the Japanese general wrote. "The end is near. The question is how long you will be able to resist. You are advised to surrender." Of course, there was no way Douglas was going to surrender.Whether masterminding strategy and fighting on the front lines to secure Allied victory in World War I and World War II or guiding war-torn nations to recovery in peacetime, five-star General Douglas MacArthur faced every challenge with unwavering courage and resolve. The general began his honored army career by leading his fellow cadets at West Point and ultimately commanded all U.S. forces in Asia. Remembered especially for directing the fight against Japanese expansion during WWII and later governing the defeated Japanese people with grace and wisdom, General MacArthur won the respect of millions, both allies and enemies. (1880-1964).Heroes of History is a unique biography series that brings the shaping of history to life with the remarkable true stories of fascinating men and women who changed the course of history.The stories of Heroes of History are told in an engaging narrative format, where related history, geography, government, and science topics come to life and make a lasting impression. This is a premier biography line for the entire family. Pages: 224 (paperback)Ages: 10+

Frazier Hunt’s friendship with Douglas MacArthur began on the battlefields of France during World War I. The young general, not quite six years the author’s senior, had already caught the allure of Pacific destiny by the time that Hunt made his first long trip to the Orient—Japan, Siberia, China, the Philippines, Australia, Southeast Asia, India. Both Hunt and MacArthur, from their separate viewpoints, early foresaw that America’s destiny lay in the Pacific. Hunt had the unique experience of covering for newspapers and magazines every war and revolution. Following four months at General MacArthur’s headquarters in New Guinea in 1944, he wrote MacArthur and the War Against Japan. The Untold Story of Douglas MacArthur was his fourteenth and final book. A fitting monument to an outstanding reporter. “Warmly written, argumentative, greatly detailed, yet fast moving...It is a racing, readable book.”—New York Times Book Review “This is a most unusual book—with its power and sweep and fierce passion for the truth. It is a book that every American should be interested in, the full-length story of the boy, the man, the General.”—The Army-Navy-Air Force Register “An important contribution to the history of the times.”—San Francisco Call-Bulletin “A thrilling biography. Frazier Hunt had a background of information and experience that better fitted him than any other to tell the intimate MacArthur story.”—Montgomery Advertiser “It is a skillful, objective study of a great man, documented to the nines, the product of highly disciplined research. It is honest biography...Anyone wishing to understand the things that moved and formed Douglas MacArthur will find most of the answers in this book.”—Cincinnati Enquirer

Scrutinizes General Douglas MacArthur's two decades in the Far East and discusses his failed attempts to become President and his destructive influence on foreign policy

At times, even his admirers seemed unsure of what to do with General Douglas MacArthur. Imperious, headstrong, and vain, MacArthur matched an undeniable military genius with a massive ego and a rebellious streak that often seemed to destine him for the dustbin of history. Yet despite his flaws, MacArthur is remembered as a brilliant commander whose combined-arms operation in the Pacific -- the first in the history of warfare -- secured America's triumph in World War II and changed the course of history. In The Most Dangerous Man in America, celebrated historian Mark Perry examines how this paradox of a man overcame personal and professional challenges to lead his countrymen in their darkest hour. As Perry shows, Franklin Roosevelt and a handful of MacArthur's subordinates made this feat possible, taming MacArthur, making him useful, and finally making him victorious. A gripping, authoritative biography of the Pacific Theater's most celebrated and misunderstood commander, The Most Dangerous Man in America reveals the secrets of Douglas MacArthur's success -- and the incredible efforts of the men who made it possible.

This work compiles some 120 letters from Japanese citizens to General Douglas MacArthur during the postwar occupation of Japan (1945-1952). These letters evoke the unfiltered voices of people of all classes and occupations during the tremendous upheaval of the early postwar period.

From master storyteller and historian H. W. Brands comes the riveting story of how President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur squared off to decide America's future in the aftermath of World War II. At the height of the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman committed a gaffe that sent shock waves around the world. When asked by a reporter about the possible use of atomic weapons in response to China's entry into the war, Truman replied testily, "The military commander in the field will have charge of the use of the weapons, as he always has." This suggested that General Douglas MacArthur, the willful, fearless, and highly decorated commander of the American and U.N. forces, had his finger on the nuclear trigger. A correction quickly followed, but the damage was done; two visions for America's path forward were clearly in opposition, and one man would have to make way. Truman was one of the most unpopular presidents in American history. Heir to a struggling economy, a ruined Europe, and increasing tension with the Soviet Union, on no issue was the path ahead clear and easy. General MacArthur, by contrast, was incredibly popular, as untouchable as any officer has ever been in America. The lessons he drew from World War II were absolute: appeasement leads to disaster and a showdown with the communists was inevitable--the sooner the better. In the nuclear era, when the Soviets, too, had the bomb, the specter of a catastrophic third World War lurked menacingly close on the horizon. The contest of wills between these two titanic characters unfolds against the turbulent backdrop of a faraway war and terrors conjured at home by Joseph McCarthy. From the drama of Stalin's blockade of West Berlin to the daring landing of MacArthur's forces at Inchon to the shocking entrance of China into the war, The General and the President vividly evokes the making of a new American era.