INTRODUCTION
(For those who are not familiar with Douglas MacArthur)
Douglas MacArthur was an extraordinary figure in the history of America and of the world. His military career, which spanned more than fifty years, was studded with well deserved stars and crowns. He truly affected political borders and boundaries on behalf of freedom which exists to this very day. Had his advice and strength been given full liberty, it is without question that many of the political and military problems we face in the world today would have been lessened or non-existent.
MacArthur became a general in the US Army during WWI and, except for a brief period of inactive service, remained a general until his brilliant career was cut short by a jealous President Truman in the early 1950’s. The General, as many referred to him, was the most decorated man in America’s military history, capped off with the Congressional Medal of Honor. His tactics and strategies continue to be studied in our military academies today. His victories set millions free and shut the mouths of the enemy for two generations.
America never got a chance to experience MacArthur’s politics in a high office, but I would bet that had we awarded him the office of our presidency, our nation would have been a bit taller. General Douglas MacArthur embodied the definitions of the following ideals…those of a man, a soldier, a leader, and an American. This is why I chose him to parallel with the ultimate man, the man Christ Jesus.
FOREWARD
Our Lord Jesus Christ often used comparisons to illustrate His sermons and to high-light spiritual truths. For example, the story of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the parable about putting new wine in old bottles. The details of these comparisons were familiar to those who hear them because they were a part of their culture and conversation in every day life.
In his latest book, “Parallel Conquerors,” author Dr. Gerald Sutek has utilized this same method by comparing the lives of the Lord Jesus with the life of famed world war II General Douglas MacArthur. In order to produce such a work, Sutek has invested an enormous amount of time in investigative research and study. His accounts of the details in the parables and in the experience of the late and highly decorated general are stated accurately and objectively in this book. Students of the Bible and history will find this volume of great interest and profit.
Unfortunately, there was no evidence in any of the more than twelve books read by the author in preparation for this book that General Douglas MacArthur ever received the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal saviour or was born-again. He was, however, a man of character and a friend of righteousness. I believe that each person that reads this fascinating account will not only find it insightful but will also have their knowledge of significant episodes in the pacific theater of world war II greatly enhanced
Robert C. Gray, D.D., LLD,
Hum.D, and Ph.D.
Founder of Trinity Baptist College
PREFACE
(PLEASE READ THE PREFACE)
I remember hearing or maybe reading somewhere about history really being His Story. Eternity will be kept interesting when He personally gathers His children around Him and tells us all about His story. I am very confident that when we hear Him tell His story without all the political and economic twists, we will understand that everything in His-story relates to the great plan of the ages, the master account of which is contained in our King James Bible.
The vast and seemingly inexhaustible subject of World War II has been my choice for extra Biblical reading for many years. The characters, both good and evil, from that era are so vivid. As we soberly observe our once-great nation decline, the epic of the Second World War gives us one last glimpse of the character our nation once had. As I read my Bible through, and then through again, supplemented with the study of true history from the world wars period, I began to notice parallels in the accounts of the war with the master account of history. Both accounts came acutely to my interest and the more I read of each, the more I was astounded at the types which are to be found in recent history.
As Bible students advance beyond surveys and basic doctrines they enter the rich mine field of typology. Their study suddenly becomes beautifully colored and wonderfully illuminated as they begin to match characters such as Joseph and David as types of Jesus, and King Saul with the old man of the flesh, Egypt as a type of the world, or Absalom as Antichrist. Typing Biblical characters with Jesus Christ has been a common practice for as long as men have studied the Bible. It remains to be seen whether this typing will be acceptable when tied to the life, actions, characteristics, and accomplishments of a modern day figure. The faults, failures, and shortcomings of Biblical characters can be overlooked or forgiven, but we wrestle with matching a personality so close to our era with such a magnanimous Person as our Lord.
General Douglas MacArthur was likely the man who influenced the world of the twentieth century for good more than any other individual. Millions of people today enjoy political freedom within their boundaries because of General Douglas MacArthur. Millions more might have enjoyed freedom rather than oppression had he been further trusted.
MacArthur was not without his faults; yea, in some areas of his life, he might be better typed with King Saul than with Jesus Christ. He was a duck-or-pucker figure. If you only saw him in the dim light of a disgruntled GI barracks roast or in the frame of a less popular political rival, you might refer to him as “Dugout Doug.” But in men closest to him, he generated such a loyalty as to be titled, “Master of the Pacific” or “Hero.” His adoring wife, the one closest to him, always called him “The General” or “My General.” His staff affectionately tagged him, “The Old Man” or “The C in C” for Commander in Chief. His powerful influence stirred such jealousies in Washington that when asked if he desired to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery he said, “No thanks, I don’t want to be surrounded by my enemies.”
The more I studied the many biographies of this man, many of which were written by those who served by his side, the more it was revealed to me that the period from 1941 through 1951 in the life of General Douglas MacArthur was filled with a goldmine of characteristics and incidents, decisions and accomplishments which would allow me to color and beautify the person of our Lord Jesus Christ by drawing these parallels.
The purpose of this book is not to deify MacArthur but to use this brief span in his life as a platform from which [to step off in order] to highlight and exalt the most influential man in all of His-Story, the Lord Jesus Christ.
All emphasis, whether italics, bold print, or underlined is the author’s.
PARALLEL CONQUERORS
CHAPTER ONE
PARALLEL MEN
Noah Webster’s 1828 sixth definition of “Man” is as follows: “A male adult of some uncommon qualifications; particularly, the sense of strength, vigor, bravery, virile powers, or magnanimity, as distinguished from the weakness, timidity or impotence of a boy, or from the narrow mindedness of low bred men.” The modern dictionaries drop all the adjectives that here describe “man,” thus depicting modern society’s degeneration in the area of manhood.
Both Jesus of Nazareth and Douglas MacArthur qualify as men by this definition. MacArthur came from a long line of men. His grandfather set the pace for the family’s manhood. A true American pioneer coming from sturdy Scottish stock, he served as Judge Advocate for the Western Military District of Massachusetts. He then pioneered westward to become the City Attorney of Milwaukee, then the Governor of Wisconsin for a brief time in 1855. Later, he was called by President Grant to serve on the Supreme Court in the District of Columbia, retiring after many years of service.
The father of Douglas MacArthur, Arthur MacArthur, carrying on the family's manly traditions, quickly proved his bravery, vigor, strength, and magnanimity during his military service for his country, winning the Medal of Honor for extraordinary valor. He went on to achieve the rank of general in an era when men were men.
THE MAN MAC
No one could ever confuse the MacArthur clan and particularly Douglas for anything but men. His appearance, countenance and demeanor all testified of his manliness. It was said that one could tell he was a soldier even in his skivvies. All this is to be appreciated by true men in the light of today’s question-mark representatives of the male gender.
His vigor, strength and stamina were brought to light as he excelled in every physical challenge West Point Military Academy could muster. He also functioned successfully as a team member in sports.
Douglas MacArthur’s attendance to details of duty, his full acceptance of personal responsibility, and his courage to suffer wrongfully became evident while he was a plebe at West Point at the turn of the twentieth century. His hazing was most severe and resulted in a colleague’s death and his own serious injury. During a grueling investigation, he would not reveal any names of those at whose hands he was so ill-treated. Only under the most scrutinizing legal questioning, was he forced by moral obligation to truth to confess that what he had been subjected to was indeed “cruel.” For his endurance in this trial and for his courage not to tattle, he won the respect of all upperclassmen.
His excellence at West Point’s testing ground for men was demonstrated again and again when each year he achieved the highest rank available to him—senior corporal as a yearling, senior first sergeant as a second classman, and as a first classman a 1st captain. The attaining of first captain was his crowning glory. Like Lee and Pershing before him, he graduated first in his class of 1903 and entered the Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant.
“THE MAN CHRIST JESUS” (1 Tim. 2:5)
Jesus of Nazareth proved himself the ultimate man. His appearance was that of an adult, law abiding Jew. His hair was long by today’s standard because it was in keeping with orthodox, law-keeping of the Old Testament (Lev. 19:27). "Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." He, no doubt, polled his hair once a year by gathering it all together, holding it close to his head and cutting what hangs down. This is mentioned about Absolom in 1 Sam. 14:26. His hair was black and bushy as mentioned in type in Song of Solomon 5:11. The reference in 1 Cor. 11:14 is after the cross. On the cross the man Christ Jesus bore our shame and reproach so that a man no longer has to bear it himself. Until the cross the shame and reproach of the heathen was borne by the nation of Israel (Ezek. 22:4; 36:15 )
This second Adam defined manhood by unflinchingly bearing the reproach of righteousness in an unrighteous generation. Any heathen can act unrighteous but it takes a man to live in righteousness in the midst of unrighteousness. There was no way to please his less-than-men adversaries. Jesus illustrated this by rehearsing that, “...John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children” (Matt. 11:18,19).
A MAN AMONG MEN
Jesus, like David, preached righteousness in the great congregation. He was a street preacher extraordinaire and this bought him less than popularity. Men today who follow in these footsteps will both measure their manhood and purchase to themselves the peculiar treasure of His presence…outside the gate.
The valour of Jesus can be seen in his control over himself as well as the storm at sea. His strength and bravery for righteousness was exhibited by overturning the tables of the moneychangers.
To think of the courage and faith it took to sleep during a storm at sea that caused experienced fishermen to panic is a measure off the scale of manhood. The allowance that He was God in the flesh must not be a valid copout because Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith, assuring us that mortal man could attain this stature. What Peter and the other disciples might better have done had they believed was to have gone back and curled up with Jesus, wrapping their arms around his. If He goes down, then all is lost anyway. The manhood of Jesus in this event is truly to be admired.
When you consider the political entrenchment of the Pharisees, the choking grip of tradition, and all the other circumstances, the public action that Jesus took against the moneychangers set a new mark as an example of spiritual manhood. If this action were taken today by any spiritual man, it would be sure to invoke the most scathing of denouncement…in the name of religion, of course.
A MANLY EXAMPLE
The Lord, without hesitation, sets Jesus as a standard of manhood. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Heb. 12:2-3). Jesus is also the author of victory over sin, death, hell and the grave. His outstanding success in this area gives Him the right to bestow victory on all who will trust and follow Him. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:58).
A MAN AT HIS DEATH
He endured the cross, despising the shame. One must weigh the fact that when the blasphemous soldiers unjustly buffeted Him, "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?" The Son of Man could have given their name, rank and serial number as well as the number of hairs in the eyelashes of their great grandfathers at birth. Yet he “endured the cross, despising the shame” and “… as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth" (Isa. 53:7).
Great scholars have written volumes of details both physical and medical revealing the excruciatingly painful death of the cross. Jesus endured this and through it all was able to keep his heart warm with compassion for those who cursed him in unbelief. The ultimate man, this second Adam, ended his sorrowful existence on this planet with, "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots" (Luke. 23:34). What an incredible illustration of manhood.
POWER WITH WORDS
The power to move men with words is a declining art in our visual world. Isaiah prophesied that this would be true in the last days. When we hear speeches by Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Benny Hinn, and Robert Schuler, we are assured that the days of the “eloquent orator” (Isa. 3:3) are well nigh gone. Douglas MacArthur, endowed with his excellent education, was well able to change men’s minds in accord with his will.
William Manchester in American Caesar tells this compelling story of MacArthur when he was pitted against all of the leaders of Australia. The prevailing attitude concerning Australia toward Japan in the early stages of WWII was one of defense. It was MacArthur’s job to change their minds to support the exact opposite position, one of offense. The following scene took place in an off-the-record press conference. The motive was to set the stage for this great mind-changing undertaking.
“The thirty or more war correspondents and officers rose as the General made an impressive entrance, bare-headed, grave, distinguished looking, immaculate. His right arm was raised in salute. There was no other introduction. Pacing back and forth MacArthur immediately began to declaim his statement of the military situation. His phrasing was perfect, his speech clear and unhalting, except for pauses for dramatic emphasis; the correspondents took notes, but there was no interruption of any kind. The conference room had become a stage, MacArthur the virtuoso, the other officers the ‘extras’ in the cast, and the correspondents the audience. It was a dramatic occasion…the General held them spellbound for two hours, never groping for a word and displaying the histrionic ability of Sir Henry Irvin. He told them that Australia could be saved in Papua, and only in Papua. He said, ‘We must attack, attack, attack!’ The meeting over, the General again raised his right arm in salute and strode from the room followed by one or two staff officers. The conference was over.
One man alone had spoken-the Supreme Commander. There was no questioning, no opportunity to clarify the meaning of the statement. It had come direct from the lips of General Douglas MacArthur, and such as it was, evidently, beyond question”(Manchester).
Mac was forthright in his words, that is, he said what he meant and meant what he said. Dwight D. Eisenhower said this of Mac, “Most of the senior officers I had known always drew a clean-cut line between the military and the political. Off duty, among themselves and close civilian friends, they might explosively denounce everything they thought was wrong with Washington and the world and propose their own cure for its evils. On duty, nothing could induce them to cross the line they, and old army tradition had established. But if General MacArthur ever recognized the existence of that line, he usually chose to ignore it” (Manchester). It certainly cannot be said that Mac played no politics, but it can be truthfully said that his eloquence was of such strength that he was able to enjoy the liberty of speaking forthrightly and, therefore, had earned the privilege of many opportunities to express his strength in word. "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men" (Prov. 18:16).
THE LIVING WORD
Did you ever consider that every single word spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ was the Word of God? “Never man spake like this man” (John. 7:46). The Lord obviously was selective in what He preserved for us to have today. The Living Word takes the trophy for making a lasting affect. Men are moved to repentance and everlasting life by these words more than two thousand years after they were spoken. Jesus’ skill with words not only confounded the most learned minds of the day, the rulers (John. 7:15), lawyers and kings but He was able to shut the mouth of Satan himself (Luke. 4). "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?" (Luke 4:22). The power and authority of His words are preserved today and will judge all humanity throughout eternity. "For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (Matt. 7:29). Even those who choose not to believe them must stand amazed that His words are still preserved today, though the world, the flesh, and the Devil have expended great energy to destroy them (John 12:47-48). "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35).
PASSIVITY VS. MANHOOD
Passivity, when classified under the subject of manhood is a fickle characteristic. Under certain circumstances, it often can be more highly prized than aggressive defense. Many occasions would require more manliness to exhibit passivity than to take bold action. At other times, it appears as a cloak for one’s own fear. I confess I do not understand nor align with our forefathers. On one occasion, they are the bravest of the brave. However, the next scene opens with their allowance of their women and children to be ravaged and abused for the sake of the gospel. It is certainly true that passivity is more easily the choice of the reader or observer than it is for the soldier in the fray. Passivity has value on a level involving only one’s self, but when a man is leading men in a righteous cause and inspiring others to follow, it pales to ineffectiveness. Jesus laid down his life for us in a passive act that excels in courage. However, He was aggressive in His cause against hypocrisy and sin, and His example inspires me. Jesus said, “… Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. 26:52) and that was true for that occasion. Nevertheless, on another occasion, He said, "…But now … he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one" (Luke 22:36). This two-sided coin is applicable in many areas of life. If someone physically attacks me, I am allowed a physical defense, only to the loss of spiritual reward. I also may opt to passively suffer for His namesake and thereby gain a better resurrection. (Read Heb. 11:34, 35) However, if you attack my family, I have no choice but to physically defend them, seeing that I am the saviour of the body (Eph. 5:23).
In their observance of MacArthur’s aggressive acts, liberals and Communists can afford, from their comfortable positions as armchair quarterbacks, to sit in the grandstand of the passive. However, things usually look differently at the end of a gun barrel or from the front line where Mac spent most of his time.
YOU CHOOSE
There was a time between the two big wars when our country was not fighting anything. During this no-fighting period, we, as a nation experienced a blotch on our history. There were veterans of WWI, who within a decade of their victorious return, found themselves hungry and financially impotent victims of the Great Depression. Incited, no doubt by communist insurgents, twenty-five thousand of these disillusioned, lost and starving men stormed Washington, DC, particularly Congress, demanding a cash bonus for their service in the defense of our country. Whether or not they should have received this bonus is irrelevant to my story here. Their conduct was deplorable and their demands threatened riot. They lived in cardboard boxes and built temporary shacks. They generally dwelt in unsafe and unhealthy squalor along Pennsylvania Avenue in an area called Anacostia Flats. For a long, embarrassing two months they made their fruitless marches to the Capitol, stirred by inflammatory speeches. All of this became a national embarrassment. Finally, the President ordered Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur to move against this national blight. In an orderly but powerful show of force and without a shot fired, Mac cleared the area and quelled the storm. The President personally expressed gratification at what had been accomplished; but those in the liberal, communist, passive grandstands leveled exaggerated, distorted, verbal salvos at the chief. They blatantly misrepresented Mac and his staff before Congress. Even to this day his biographers choose this event to give him a political black eye. Personally, I like the way the Chief handled this delicate and unsavory matter.
The truth is that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. David experienced something of the above during his unfortunate circumstances in 1 Sam. 30. As he went on to fight the Amalekites and regain his family and belongings, he had three categories in his army: some were standing in the gap, others staying by the stuff, and the rest were stirring in the camp. Surely, if you are not standing in the gap or staying by the stuff, you will find yourself STIRRING IN THE CAMP.
Jesus’ actions, words, and decisions of an aggressive nature have been judged by his enemies to be too heavy-handed and, without doubt, these judges will be numbered among those who will be on the receiving end of His wrath at the Second Advent. The soldier of the Lord who would dare to stand in the gap with his Captain could certainly come nearer a right assessment of our Lord’s motives viewing from the battlefront rather than the passive, liberal, communist-minded religionist who chooses to size things up from the air-conditioned box seat.
If I have to fight in a war, I would much rather follow a man than a reporter. MacArthur and Our Lord were both men of action who got the job done; think of the manliness it required of the Lord Jesus Christ to turn the knob of His power sufficiently to the left in order that the dirty job of our salvation might be accomplished. Can we sufficiently measure this manliness? Consider who He truly was and what He could have done without detriment to His character as God and without tainting his righteousness. It becomes amazing realization that instead of calling ten thousand angels to vindicate His person, “…he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8). Is it any wonder that His Father “…hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?" (Eph. 2:9-11).
HUMILITY AND MANHOOD
Humility and manhood are easier to blend than passivity and manhood. We have too few contemporary examples of this blend. There seems to be a rank that, when attained, does away with the need to display one’s accomplishments. This rank is so honored that it simply exists without any help of decoration. Both of our subjects attained this rank. Whether this rank can serve for humility will be discussed here.
General Douglas MacArthur won all of his medals. His medals did not reflect honorary awards. He rarely wore any medals at all and yet he was the most decorated man in the history of U.S. military. President Roosevelt once said of him that he was our best general but our worst politician. At the apex of his military career, as he officiated over the surrender of Japan, Mac stood upon the deck of the battleship, Missouri in plain Khaki uniform. Before him stood a most formidable array of top brass representing the combined Allied Powers. One sailor, fortunate enough to observe this moment in history asked his buddy, “Look at Mac. Ain’t he got no ribbons?” His buddy replied, “If he wore them, they would go clear over his shoulder.” A list of his decorations will be included in the chapter entitled “Soldier” (Manchester).
HE WORE HIS GLORY WELL
True humility and well-earned glory can blur in observation. Our Lord chose a humble foal of an ass upon which to make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy. However, He received the well-deserved praise and adulation heaped upon Him by those to whom He had given the victory. There is a place for proper recognition of accomplishments and the exaltation of them, but too few men can endure such a bestowment without vomiting the honey (Prov. 25:16, 27). There seems to be a fine line between humility and proper recognition. "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour" (Rom. 13:7). Manchester (370) reported of MacArthur from the New York Times Magazine, “ In him great self-confidence is mingled with humility…” Jealousy or political rivalries often blur the vision of a deserving man’s colleagues so that they may distort the due honour. President Harry Truman referred to MacArthur as “…a pompous $%&*@...” but this is like the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. Mac was a political competitor with Truman, so there never was any love between the two. The Pharisees called Jesus as much or worse for similar reasons, “…for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:14). General Douglas MacArthur experienced both of these truths.
He was the victim of many outright lies. This cross seems to go with the high office. His enemies generally were jealous Pharisees in political Washington who coveted his publicity but would have fainted at the sight of the front lines. Mac was asked once if he wanted to be buried in the prestigious, military, Arlington Cemetery. His response... “No, I don’t want to be surrounded by my enemies” (Manchester).
SPIRITUAL MANHOOD
In my research for this book, I read more than twelve biographies on Douglas MacArthur including his autobiography. I failed to find a clear-cut testimony of his conversion, as a Bible believer might demand. However, he did have a spiritual side and a reverence for the Lord. He also did render extraordinary service to righteousness. The following personal reference from his autobiography Reminiscences is as close as I could get to a Christian testimony. “Christianity, of course, is not the oldest of man’s faiths. Although I was brought up as a Christian and adhere entirely to its teaching.” William Manchester says of this side of MacArthur, “MacArthur acknowledged a higher power. He was even capable of humility in its presence. But he never really came to terms with it.” He encouraged missionaries to come to Japan in its moment of vulnerability. He called for 2,000 missionaries to be sent immediately, but our missionary coffers were not that rich. He called for the Pocket Testament League to distribute 10,000,000 Bibles translated into Japanese, which were sent.
In the battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the most decisive battles for the conquest of the Philippines, America, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, amassed 700 war ships and 170,000 of the finest fighting men the world had ever known. All was ready for this surprise attack and at 2:00 AM, this great commander retired to his quarters onboard the battleship Nashville. He states in his autobiography that he read again those passages in the Bible from which he had always gained inspiration and hope and then prayed that “…a merciful God would preserve each one of these men on the morrow.” That same morning this man was able to report to the Filipino people and to the world the famous words, “I have returned.” If I were a lowly soldier about to thrust myself against the wrath of the enemy, I would certainly be comforted to know that my highest commanding officer was in his private quarters praying for me (MacArthur, ).
PRAYER UNDER PEER PRESSURE
While the battle for Manila subsided in Allied victory, the General led the ceremonies to restore the government of the Philippines to its leaders. At the end of this august ceremony, well attended by high officials, the Conqueror said, “In humble and devout manifestation of gratitude to almighty God for bringing this decisive victory to our arms, I ask that all present rise and join me in reciting the Lord’s Prayer.” If you think it is hard to pass a tract to your boss, imagine the peer pressure in these high circles of the military and politics. Praise God for all conquerors who are at least friends of Righteousness.
I once heard someone say, “I raised my boys to be men first, then Christians.” All through Scripture, the Lord is looking for men to accomplish His purpose. This is not to circumvent salvation or spirituality, but it is true that a man is a man if he never becomes a spiritual man. Whether Douglas MacArthur ever became a truly spiritual man may not be answered this side of the judgment. Nevertheless, he certainly displayed the raw material of manhood, and the rest of this book will help you to determine whether the Lord used him to stand in a large open gap for his country and his God.
THE MEDIATOR...THE MAN CHRIST JESUS
"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom 8:34). As I face the wrath of this present evil world and the god thereof, it fortifies and motivates this soldier of the Lord to know that my highest commanding officer, the Captain of our Faith, is interceding to a merciful God in my behalf.
CHAPTER TWO
PARALLEL CAPTAINS
I had originally titled this chapter “Parallel Soldiers”. However, upon further study, I came to realize that Douglas MacArthur was never a soldier in the familiar sense of the word. That is, he never was a grunt on the front lines taking orders from a sergeant. For that matter, neither was Jesus Christ. The term soldier can refer to a person who makes the military his life’s career and in that sense MacArthur was a soldier. To illustrate this, toward the end of WWII General Douglas MacArthur, then a five star general and supreme commander of the Allied Forces, was invited to a meeting with Admiral Nimitz and President Franklin Roosevelt. Nimitz was present to represent the strategy determined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to end the war. Mac was there to argue his opposing strategy, which he passionately felt was the better choice. The president was there to hear both sides and make a final decision that stood to affect the duration and possible outcome of the war. Following a brilliant layout of strategy by Admiral Nimitz, Five Star General Douglas MacArthur began his presentation by stating, “I am a soldier and will hold the horse if commanded to but…” and proceeded to lay before the president and his opposing colleagues the better plan which the president finally accepted. This plan proved to be victorious. Consider that this statement, coming from the mouth of the second most powerful man on earth, was evidence that Mac never lost his sense of duty and position as a soldier.
“CAPTAIN” MACARTHUR
Douglas MacArthur was a born leader, the product of several generations of leaders. As fear and cowardice passes through genes so generally does courage. He entered West Point as a civilian and graduated a Lieutenant. Already a leader, his courage, as such, found expression in two non-war assignments. While on duty in the Philippines, two desperadoes attacked him. In the struggle, Lieutenant MacArthur shot both dead in their tracks and received, in return, a campaign hat still smoking from its alteration by a slug from the desperado’s rifle. His foreman, a regular Army sergeant and veteran of long years of service, came rushing up. He looked long and hard at the two dead men sprawled on the trail, then at his Captain’s crownless hat still smoking from the blast, then at the broken tree behind MacArthur (which also had been altered by the slug). The sergeant rolled his quid of tobacco into the hollow of his cheek and slowly drew himself up to his full six feet of height, clicked his heels together, saluted, and drawled in his rich Irish brogue, “Begging the Loo’tenant’s paddon, but all the rest of the Loo’tenant’s life is pure velvut” (MacArthur). This prophecy proved to be a concise description of the rest of the general’s life.
During a conflict with Mexico, Captain MacArthur gained the status of swashbuckler for a very heroic venture that occurred in Vera Cruz. His assignment was to discover some hidden locomotives; this knowledge might be of great benefit if war between the two countries broke out. In the course of this “wild night under the Southern Cross”, as MacArthur describes it, using a combination of railroad handcar, pony, and boat he dropped seventeen marauders and received four bullet holes through his shirt before returning with the vital intelligence. His reward for his courageous night’s activity was a recommendation for the Medal of Honor.
CAPTAIN OF OUR FAITH
The job of a captain during combat is to plan strategy only in the field and to lead his company into the conflict. The Captain of our faith was brilliant in his field strategy to accomplish the master plan of the Father. He outwitted the enemy several times, averting His early demise that would have thwarted the master plan. In a moment-to-remember battle, he withstood his opponent wielding the sword of the Word of God with deft skill resulting in the defeat of the Tempter. The full account can be read in the fourth chapters of both Matthew and Luke. No soldier in the history of warfare could have accomplished such a victory and thus set the example for his company. Our Captain’s victory over Satan proved that Satan was a defeated foe and that for the remainder of time the company following The Captain would merely need to, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
Captain Jesus led his company through temptation (Luke 7:19), storm (Matt. 4:39), armed conflict (John 18:10), and political insurgence (Acts 1:6). He was victorious in battles with hatred (John 15:18), jealousy (Mark 10:37), and rivalry (Matt 26:33). He taught his grunts how to deal with internal spies (John 6:70), defection (1 Cor. 11:23), and dangers involving fame (John 4:1), power (Luke 9:54), and miraculous gifts (Luke 10l:20). He was a Medal of Honor leader in suffering false accusation (John 8:41), unjust criticism (Matt 12:2), open blasphemy (Matt 12:24), mocking (Matt 27:29), spitting (Matt 26:67) and more physical abuse than any other man could endure (Isa. 52:14). He was exalted to worship status for his endurance of the cruelest act any enemy could inflict…the death on the cross (Phil. 2:8). The crowning achievement of His career was His grand and glorious triumph over sin, death, Hell, and the grave when He arose from the grave. His company can feel confident that, “because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). Though no one join me, still I will follow. I join the Apostle Peter when he says, “...Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68).
THE LORD’S MIND ON WAR
In Exodus 15:3 it is stated poetically, “The Lord is a man of war.” And, so He is. There is more space devoted to war in the Bible than peace. If you want to make war with the Lord He will put up His dukes but you will ultimately lose. The Lord will not dodge a good fight if you bring it on. He is the passionate warrior against any and all infractions of His law. He names and describes His enemies openly and will carry out His campaign against them to the very end. But, while this may be the Lord’s mind, it certainly is not His heart. He so desires peace with his creation that He sacrificed His only begotten Son in hopes that reconciliation might be established and peace might reign.
MACARTHUR ON WAR
A soldier by choice must have an interest in war, if not a passion: at the least, there must be a fascination with the subject or why else would he choose that profession. William Manchester describes this personality conundrum concerning war and peace inside the General. “Churchill once observed that war, which was cruel and glorious, has become cruel and sordid. To the General it would always retain a nimbus of glory. His critics thought that ridiculous. His admirers believed it made him a more effective leader. Both were right” (Manchester). This may have been his attitude of mind, and our country ought to thank him for this attitude, which served us well in victory over our enemies. However, his heart can be seen in the draft of the new constitution for the Japanese people under the guidance of the General during the occupation. When the Japanese included Article nine which would outlaw war in Japan in their draft for a new constitution, MacArthur wholeheartedly agreed stating, “You cannot control war, you must abolish it.”
His philosophy, like many other great leaders was, “The best defense is a good offense.” If General Douglas MacArthur had been allowed to freely exercise this philosophy concerning such WWII leftover problems like Korea, China, Taiwan, and Russia, we would most probably have eliminated much of the cold war that followed. This includes the oppression of millions of souls under Soviet communism and China’s constant saber rattling against Taiwan, not to mention the mess we are faced with today (2003) with nuclear North Korea. We can credit one of our worst presidents, Harry Truman, with tying Mac’s hands in this effort in the early 50’s.
One day the Lord will abolish and outlaw war but, until then, we had better give him a free hand in dealing with his enemies both in the world as well as within our hearts. By doing so we may avoid future turmoil, trial and tribulation.
In one of the many accounts which describe Mac as he flagrantly defied the enemy by openly exposing himself in fierce battle, one of his subordinates said of him, “MacArthur wanted to experience the smell of gunpowder and the sights and sounds of combat. Being in or near a battle seemed to quicken him. It was almost like as though the battle ‘fed’ his system. It was true also that he could appreciate the problems of his commanders and soldiers much better by getting a taste of the fighting than by pouring over maps and operations reports back at headquarters” (Manchester).
The General was often unaware of problems with his staff because of his concentration on military science. One of his biographers claimed, “If there is such a thing as an art of war -and MacArthur never doubted that there was- the General performed as a virtuoso.”
THE CAPTAIN OF OUR FAITH
Jesus said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” He also said, “…lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” He smells the smoke of your current battle and is very familiar with the terrain ahead. He cares about the outcome and longs for victory and the peace that will follow if only we will follow his divine leadership. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:5-6).
KEEPING BUSY WHILE AT PEACE
Some soldiers lose their balance in the battle between war and peace. Many have floundered when their battle days ended. Oh, they celebrated the end of hostilities because it was politically correct to do so. However, their addiction to the sights, sounds, and smells of the battlefield left them empty and unfulfilled in the peacetime. The strife raged on inside them and drove them to drink, marital problems, child abuse, and even mercenary service. Douglas MacArthur was quite balanced in this area. He flourished in peacetime the same as he succeeded in battle. His strategy in peace and his victories off the battlefield were just as renowned as his glories in war.
FOLLOWING MAC
Properly trained men usually do not have any problem following a man who knows where he is going and what he wants to accomplish. The apostle Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). I have been a leader in the body of Christ for many years and yet it does not bother me to follow someone else, whether younger or less experienced, as long as they are going in the right direction. We ought to grow in grace to a point where we would desire others to follow us, as Paul stated above. We must be worthy of that following.
General Douglas MacArthur was a natural born leader and as soon as he had the chronology to be credited with the position he displayed his leadership talents well. He exuded confidence and inspired morale beyond the call of duty. General Eichelberger, one of Mac’s subordinate generals, described Mac in a letter to his wife, “He is certainly a fascinating person and an inspiring leader.” Though his leadership and decisions were made of iron, that iron was always malleable, being mixed with compassion. Another of his staff stated, “The prevailing doctrine in GHQ was that the ‘Chief’ was unchallengeable, above the mortal realm” (Manchester). He cared much for his staff and his men. Whenever possible, he hand- selected his staff. All beneath him were encouraged by his strong, yet filial guidance.
While his administrative and strategic duties as supreme commander demanded a large share of his time at headquarters, he loved seeing, smelling, and hearing the front lines. As a leader, he made sure that he was not estranged from his men. The slanderous dubbing of Mac as “Dugout Doug”, was undeserving. This dubbing occurred while the General and his entire army were backed into the Bataan peninsula because of the stunning blitz of the enemy upon the Philippine Islands following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The overwhelming strength of the enemy in numbers, weapons, and supplies as well as the inability of the US to supply and reinforce the General’s army created a helpless and nearly hopeless scenario in which MacArthur could not affect a solution. He chose to seclude himself rather than face the unanswerable questions of his soldiers. For this, he was mistakenly collared with “Dugout Doug.” It had nothing to do with his courage or leadership as was proven many times before, during, and after this black blotch in US military history.
COMPASSIONATE LEADER
When the General was retaking the city of Manila, there was a time when tactics were in the hands of his field commanders and he found himself with little to do. He told his staff that he wanted to see the U.S. prisoners of war and the Filipinos recently released from the enemy camps. I quote from American Caesar, “He went first to Bilibib and Santo Tomas prisons, which had just been liberated. At Santo Tomas, he was surrounded by thousands of sobbing, emaciated men in rags. At Bilibib, many of the inmates made a pathetic effort to stand at attention.” He wrote afterward: “They remained silent as though at inspection. I looked down the lines of men bearded and soiled…with ripped and soiled shirts and trousers, with toes sticking out of such shoes as remained, with suffering and torture written on their gaunt faces. Here was all that was left of my men of Bataan and Corregidor…As I passed slowly down the scrawny, suffering column, a murmur accompanied me as each man barely speaking above a whisper, said, ‘You’re back’, or ‘You made it.’ …I could only reply, ‘I’m a little late, but we finally came.’ I passed on out of the barracks compound and looked around at the debris that was no longer important to those inside: the tin cans they had eaten from; the dirty old bottles they had drunk from. It made me ill just to look at them.’ ” The men who attempted to understand him and give him the benefit of the doubt truly loved him.
JESUS WEPT
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ keeps tract of our battles, sufferings, tears, frustrations, tactics and fears. He keeps our tears, watches over our widows and fatherless children left behind in the battle, and binds up our wounds in both body and heart. The song by J. Lincoln Hall “Does Jesus Care?” says,
“Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?
O yes, He cares- I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Saviour cares”
GENERAL CONCERNS
Manila was in ruins, though the General had striven hard to avoid the destruction of this beautiful city personally dear to his heart. Many soldiers were dead despite Mac’s unmatched record of fewest casualties. The battle for the capitol could still be heard in the near distance; complete victory not yet realized. MacArthur stood officiating at the bittersweet ceremony that served to hand over the government back to the civil magistrates. The occupants of Malacanan palace that day were diverse both in culture and religion. A mix of Catholic, Protestant, Atheist and Buddhist were represented in several nations present. His speech, a classic as usual, speaks to his strength, tenderness, and compassion. He began:
“More than three years have elapsed—years of bitterness, struggle and sacrifice—since I withdrew our forces and installations from this beautiful city that, open and undefended, its churches, monuments and cultural centers might, in accordance with the rules of warfare, be spared the violence of military ravage. The enemy would not have it so, and much that I sought to preserve has been unnecessarily destroyed by his desperate action at bay—but by these ashes he has wantonly fixed the future pattern of his own doom…On behalf of my government I now solemnly declare, Mr. President, the full powers and responsibilities under the constitution restored to the Commonwealth whose seat is here reestablished as provided by law. Your country, thus, is again at liberty to pursue its destiny to an honored position in the family of free nations. Your capital city, cruelly punished though it be, has regained its rightful place—citadel of democracy in the East. Your indomitable—(His voice trembled. He buried his face in his hands and wept. Then wiping his eyes on his sleeve, concluded brokenly:) “In humble and devout manifestation of gratitude to almighty God for bringing this decisive victory to our arms, I ask that all present rise and join me in reciting the Lord’s prayer” (MacArthur).
In his Reminiscences he writes: “To others it might have seemed my moment of victory and monumental personal acclaim, but to me it seemed only the culmination of a panorama of physical and spiritual disaster. It had killed something inside me to see my men die.”
DOES JESUS CARE?
O yes, He cares. We can see Him weeping over the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 23) for its present spiritual decay and forthcoming physical devastation. We observe his concern in creation’s entire conflict from Genesis to Revelation by the statement in Ps. 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." “Adam…where art thou?”
POSITIVE-LY MACARTHUR
Another facet of his successful leadership was his omniscience, or so it seemed. He knew everything there was to know and still maintained a positive attitude. John Curtis Perry, in his biography of Mac, said of him, “The peculiar genius of Mac lay in his power to convince others of his genius. He believed that his actions were justified by history or by divine will. Consequently he could justify overriding the wishes of others, even his superiors. Gen. Frank McCoy, an old Army friend who became chairman of the Far Eastern Commission, summed it up: ‘Mac thinks of himself as a man of destiny…and he is a man of destiny.’” (Perry pg. 72).
While exiled in Australia from his army in Corregidor, his intelligence was current on every detail. William Manchester says it this way, “No sparrow fell there but MacArthur knew of it; his files held everything from transcripts of executive sessions in Malacanan Palace to the guest lists of the Manila Hotel. His submarines brought the guerrillas equipment, technicians, transmitters, and commando teams, and he personally interviewed each partisan who escaped into his lines.” He kept abreast of every detail available concerning the enemy. He had studied the Orientals and had spent so much time in their culture that most of the time he knew their next move while they were still in council. This intelligence not only built his own morale but supported the grunt who knew little more than what his sergeant just told him. This superior knowledge was felt on the front line by the fact that they were always going forward and making great strides with few casualties. Victory always tastes sweet even when between two slices of sorrow. Mac did not permit doubt, bewilderment, vacillation, or confusion to surface. Negative impressions were buried, smothered. This positive confidence of victory bled through the chain of command and affected both his army and his enemy.
MAC’S ENEMY
What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? Answer = “V.J. Day.” This was near the situation between the momentum of Mac’s forces and the no-surrender attitude of his enemy. Knowing the oriental mind as he did, Mac planned his strategy to capitalize on this trait.
For millennia Japan had inbred the Nippon mind with two false perceptions: that the Emperor was divine and that the Japanese people were invincible. The way this combination was to play out was that if indeed their Emperor was divine and he had led them into this war, then how could they possibly lose? Add to all of this the fact that Japan had never been defeated or conquered in the entire history of their existence. If individuals died in the obtaining of this inevitable victory they went to their great reward. They had given their lives for the most honorable cause, that being the Emperor…their god. None but an oriental mind can fully appreciate the immovable object such a false doctrine can produce. Harry Truman stated that the only thing the Japanese understand is a superior force, thus…the Atomic Bomb.
Only after the loss of quite a few major battles did the crowns of their generals and high leaders begin to tarnish in the eyes of the common Japanese people. Never did the Emperor lose his gold crown of deity.
HARD HEARTED HEATHEN
If we were to liken this theology to the theology of any unsaved man, we might more fully understand what the witnessing Christian is up against. Some convincing personality told the unregenerate mind that they could be as gods. For millennia we have been inbred with a nature that innately believes this. Because of this, man blindly believes that his battle with God will ultimately end in his favor, thus producing a dangerously closed mind doomed to total and utter destruction. “ …verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah" (Ps. 39:5).
Sometimes it takes a catastrophic setback in life for the natural man to consider that his invincibility may indeed be vincible. Many die and go to hell wearing their warped and tarnished crown.
With this understanding of the 1941 Japanese mentality, one can see how the suicidal warfare of the Japanese army evolved. They referred to their suicide as fanaticism. Mac referred to this as “the last ditch of the defeated.” Besides the infamous suicidal airplane pilots referred to as Kamikazes, they also had suicidal manned torpedoes called Kaitens. The Japanese theology demanded that they die rather than be conquered.
In man’s natural state, his god has convinced him that the wages of sin, though they be ever so costly, are far better than surrender to and occupation by the enemy…God.
BATTLE LOST WAR WON
America’s worst military defeat
In late November of 1941, the military intelligence of General Douglas MacArthur knew that the Japanese were poised for a surprise attack that would catapult America into the war. They knew that the strike would be at one of possibly four vital military installations of the U.S., the prime target being Pearl Harbor. Another of these prime targets was Clark Air Field near Manila, Philippines. The General also knew the high probability that when the Japanese made their attack he would be chosen as commander of the forces in the Pacific. With the battle looming and the weight of the heavy responsibility pressing, the General lay sleeping in his suite at the Manila hotel. It was 3:00 AM, Dec. 7, when his peaceful sleep was abruptly disturbed by the ringing of his telephone. His aide informed him of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The General could calculate that Clark Field would be close following. He instructed the aide to call a staff briefing, and then turning to his wife, he said, “Hand me my Bible.” In that moment of extreme crises, during one of the most crucial moments of the world’s history, this man of destiny sat on the edge of his bed and read his Bible. One of the tallest figures of history prayed for fifteen minutes before he went to his first briefing as commander of the Pacific forces in WWII. Whether it is possible for a carnal Episcopalian to be a spiritual man you may debate, but this giant found his strength by seeking first the kingdom of God. What do you have to do that is more important than prayer and Bible reading first thing in the morning?
The odds were terribly lopsided. Although America was aware of the threat Japan presented, and that they had been building and amassing materials of war for years, for whatever reason historians may argue, America decided to close their eyes and put hands over ears. MacArthur’s army in the Philippines was the worst equipped and least readied above all. Mac had badgered Washington from the beginning of his duty there for men and modern equipment, but Congress had “more pressing issues at home.” They also chose to put the war in Europe on the front burner with the mother lode of war shipments heading east, not west.
Japan’s first air strike against Clark Field virtually eliminated what tiny air power the Commander had. Following quickly was a land invasion force more than double the number of Mac’s men. The overwhelming numbers combined with lightning speed, the shock of the blistering attack by the enemy, and the lack of equipment and men in Mac’s army - all compounded to demand withdrawal in hopes of reinforcements and re-supply. The latter was not to be realized.
At this point MacArthur made one of the most brilliant military maneuvers in history. His strategy in the withdrawal of his men to the Bataan peninsular and the occupying of the enemy from that defensive position has been, and will continue to be, the study of military education for all time. In military strategy there is a distinct difference between withdrawal and retreat. This withdrawal maneuver held the main forces of Japan, tying them up and buying precious time for the Allied forces. General MacArthur was rewarded for this by the receiving of compliments from virtually every leader in the Allied Forces. President Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Generals Patton, Eisenhower, and Marshal, senators, congressional representatives, cabinet member, and heads of many states joined the chorus to thank and praise him for his brilliance in strategy, and his constancy during humility. They encouraged him to continue to hold the line until plans could be implemented to send help. The choice of withdrawal into Bataan peninsular was not a happenstance retreat. By concentrating his forces there, they could control Manila Bay which was of immeasurable value to the enemy. As MacArthur put it, “He (the Japanese enemy) may have the bottle, but I have the cork.” Nevertheless, he faced reality, which meant he had to withdraw. This was a brilliant maneuver, but it was still the wrong direction and this is loathe to all good military men.
The desperate military situation grew worse with no light on the horizon. Heroic days grew into hungry weeks and empty ammo cans evolved into ingenious defensive weapons. With the press of a well-supplied foe and an enemy naval blockade preventing allied supply ships, the noose grew tighter around the neck of Mac’s army. This paragraph from MacArthur’s autobiography, Reminiscences, lets us hear him describe the situation from his own mouth. “On January 10th, and again on January 17th, I wired Washington explaining the seriousness of the situation. We had been on half rations for some time now, and the result was becoming evident in the exhausted condition of the men. The limited area occupied by our forces did not offer any means of obtaining food, and we were therefore dependent upon communication by sea, the responsibility of which had passed out of my control. Since the blockade was lightly held, many medium-sized ships could have been loaded with supplies and dispatched along various routes. It seemed incredible to me that no effort was made to bring in supplies. I cannot overemphasize the psychological affect upon the Filipinos. They were able to understand military failure, but the apparent disinterest on the part of the United States was incomprehensible. Aware of the efforts the Allies were making in Europe, their feelings ranged from bewilderment to revulsion.” At this stage of the war the enemy were eager for a trophy with MacArthur’s name on it and they would prefer it to be in the shape of a cross.”
Almost too late, President Roosevelt ordered the General to escape the Japanese noose and go to Australia to organize an allied army in hopes of turning the tide from losing to victory. Escaping was not the General’s will. He objected, protested, petitioned, politicked, and delayed, but his will was not to be championed in this matter. Further movement away from the enemy was repugnant to him. He did not want to leave his men. He threatened to resign his commission in order to continue fighting and die with his men.
It was during this time that he chose not to mingle with his men on the front line. His normally trim frame had lost another 25 pounds as a result of his choosing the same meager diet as his men. The appearance of a commander is of utmost importance to the morale of soldiers. He says in his autobiography, “I must have looked gaunt and ghastly standing there in my war-stained clothes, no be-medaled commander of inspiring presence.” “Dugout Doug”, had no inspiring report to give to his starving, inquiring men. To face his men, in such dire circumstances and without any truthful words of encouragement, would further erode the already low morale.
Finally, Mac submitted to his orders to leave. He sent for his second in command, General Jonathan Wainwright to say goodbye. They were old friends as well as joint leaders and the parting was painful. Little could each have known that it would be over two years till they met again; both their worlds had changed dramatically. Wainwright’s nickname was “Jim” so when his friend, the General, bade his final farewell he said, “Jim, hold on till I come back for you.” These orders were dear to Wainwright coming from the man he admired most in the world. Within a short time more than desperate circumstances overruled Jim’s strong desire to please his commander and he surrendered to the enemy. Whether a fight-to-the-end policy would have been better than the Bataan death march, eternity will have to judge.
MAC’S DARING ESCAPE
Mac obeyed the order and through a truly daring and miraculous adventure, he sneaked through the diligent guard of the Japanese naval blockade by way of a minimally armed PT boat. Accompanied by his wife and young son, Arthur, and with a skeleton staff following in similar PT boats, they made their way on a midnight, swashbuckling dash from Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay to a point on the Island of Mindanao, where he flew to Australia. The world would say it couldn’t be done. But the Allied world cheered ravenously when General Douglas MacArthur reappeared alive and well in Australia to begin working his talents to prepare an effective Allied assault against the enemy. For this daring escapade, which resulted eventually in Allied victory in the Pacific War, General Douglas MacArthur received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest honor America can bestow upon a soldier.
Upon arrival in Australia when MacArthur was pressed for a statement, he told the world that he was simply obeying orders from the President to break through the Japanese line and come to Australia for the purpose of organizing an offensive against the enemy and the relief of the Philippines. Then he said those charismatic words he is so remembered for, “I came through and I SHALL RETURN.” (MacArthur). These words were the source of strength and hope for both his besieged army in Bataan as well as the millions of suffering souls in the Philippines for over two years.
BATTLE LOST WAR WON
ETERNITY’S WORST DEFEAT
The battle began with the subtle propaganda attack upon God’s commander, Adam, as he walked in the garden accompanied by his Captain…The Word of God. The goal of the enemy was the destruction of the seed of God that would provide and guarantee freedom for all of Adam’s army. The battle continued to spread and was waged on many battlefields, too numerous to mention, over the next four millennia. The relentless enemy risked life, limb and many thousands of his army in a desperate, yea, even eternal suicidal attempt to rid the world of the force of freedom through the Word of God. In a dramatic and daring face off, recorded in Matthew chapter 4, the enemy was forced to back down from a withering onslaught by the Word of God. Knocked down, but not knocked out, the enemy strengthened his forces and came to the battlefield of Calvary. Nevertheless, Jesus knew his enemy well and was not ignorant of his devices. He was confident that the original plan would succeed and that He would overcome the enemy. In fact, looking at it from an eternal perspective, the enemy was a defeated foe.
The pressure against the Word of God grew so great that it forced the blood through His skin, appearing as bloody sweat. The command came to withdraw back to headquarters. This was contrary to His will. He petitioned headquarters and poured out his situation only to have his petition denied. He could have called 10,000 angels, reinforcements, and supplies with which to destroy the world and set Him free, but it would not be in accord with the will of headquarters. Finally, He submitted with “Not my will but thine, Oh Lord.” As our Saviour hung on the cross in seeming defeat, His soul cried out in anguish, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The lights went out in Washington. God had turned his back upon His only begotten son. In the fullness of times He made his miraculous escape from sin, death, hell, the grave, and his arch enemy…Satan. He slipped the grip of the Grimy One and reappeared safe on the shore of His victorious kingdom, where He is currently preparing His victorious offensive that will hough (Joshua 11:9) the enemy forever. He deserves our Medal of Honor for his gallantry in the obtaining of salvation for mankind.
Just before that dark hour of seeming defeat, Jesus spoke the words that have provided comfort and hope for His many besieged soldiers. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:1-3).
The gospel of John chapters 14-17 describe this parallel era in the relationship between our Lord Jesus Christ and his beloved disciples. This bitter-sweet communion also resulted in misunderstanding within the finite mind of the disciples. Although the words of the Lord were meant to be encouraging, when heard within the context of the moment and considered within the troubled and fearful minds and hearts of human followers, it is no wonder that it required great faith to keep the right view of things.
EVEN MAC CAN’T WIN WITH DEFENSE ONLY
Pastor James Knox once said, “Before WWII America had a Department of War. From that point on they changed the name to the Department of Defense. Up to the end of WWII America never lost a war. From that point on, we haven’t won a war. Reason…you can’t win a war with defense only.”
This is basic military strategy and as long as MacArthur was limited to a defensive warfare being backed into the Bataan Peninsular, the most he could do was to keep the enemy occupied. He did such a brilliant job under the worst of circumstances that even his ostensible defeat seemed, in a way victorious. This is further explained by Perry. “Mac’s optimism seemed never to falter, at least in public. The defeat America suffered in 42 in the PI was the greatest overseas military debacle the nation had ever experienced. But Bataan and Corregidor came to symbolize, like Dunkirk, not rout but triumph. It was something heroic, and Mac was the hero.” (Perry)
When the General arrived in Australia, leaders who could only think in terms of the defense of Australia inundated him. Viewing, only from afar the path of death and destruction left in the wake of a swift moving enemy, they had made extensive preliminary plans for their defense. However, the General shocked them all by scrapping all their plans and introducing the mind-boggling idea of a strong offense. Mind-boggling because the Allied Forces had so little to work with in both equipment and men. How could you press and advance on such a formidable foe with so small and ill-equipped army? Mac could not verbalize the answer; he could only demonstrate it.
OFFENSIVE CHURCH = PEACEFUL CHURCH
The General tells of this strategic metamorphosis in Australia in his autobiography.
“I decided to abandon the (defense) plan completely, to move the thousand miles forward into eastern Papau, and to stop the Japanese on the rough mountains of the Owen Stanley Ridge in New Guinea to make the fight for Australia beyond its own borders. If successful, this would save Australia from invasion and give me an opportunity to pass from defense to offense, to seize the initiative, move forward, and attack.”
“This decision gave the Australians an exhilarating lift, and they prepared to support me with fanatical zeal. As a matter of fact, throughout the war, the most complete co-operation existed not only with the Australians, but with the other nationalities under my command-Dutch, British, New Zealanders, and Filipinos. Not only was there complete lack of friction and misunderstanding, but the ties of mutual respect, good will, and admiration among the commanders, staffs, and men of all branches and services, could well serve as a model for any mixed international force” (MacArthur).
Why can the world enjoy such unity in their ranks to accomplish carnal quests while the church suffers from schism? Could it be that we operate in the realm of defense only? It has been my experience as a pastor that a church that is fervently fighting the common enemy will not fight amongst themselves. We are to fight the fight of faith and war a good warfare, but at the same time, love the brethren.
I pastored a church of about fifty people in Tallahassee, FL. At this time, (mid-70’s) the grassroots movement of the Sodomites was picking up momentum. Even though we were small, we went on the offensive against this evil and fought to enjoy several victories. Not only were the soldiers in my church strengthened, enthused and experienced, we had peace within our ranks. In four and a half years of pastoring and leading this spiritual battle, we never had one dissenting vote.
MARTYRS VS. COLLABORATORS
The irony of Laodicean Christianity has become evident in the compromises, worldly ways, and gimmicks we use in order to enhance the growth of the church, while ignoring the Christian historical principle of how the church grows...persecution. Just go back to the foundational book of Acts in the New Testament and read the manual once again.
Thirty years ago a good friend came to my church in Tallahassee and gave me a nugget of encouragement. Pastor Wayne Mund told our little, struggling church to... “Strive to be strong. Don’t strive to be big. If you become big but are not strong, you will be just like all the other churches. But, if you become strong and the Lord chooses to make you big, then you will be BIG AND STRONG.” Wouldn’t that be something today to have a church that was not only big, but also strong. The worldly, Madison-Avenue-techniques used to build the numbers of a church are the same methods the devil can use to weaken the church. There was no compromise made to produce the large church of the early part of the book of Acts, but they were hard at work fighting the good fight of faith and thereby bringing upon themselves persecution. Read Acts 8:1-4 and find that the fact that the church was working together in the fight, was connected to the persecution of that time; the persecution of that time was connected to the work of the men and women of that church.
WHILE THE COMMANDER IS IN EXILE
“After the fall of Corregidor and the southern islands, organized resistance to the Japanese in the Philippines had supposedly come to an end. In reality, it had never ended. I had expected and laid plans long before for an underground struggle by guerrilla forces against the Japanese army of occupation. I was certain that a great number of those indomitable defenders of Bataan and Corregidor had escaped into the mountains and jungle, and that they were already at work against the enemy. Unfortunately, for some time I could learn nothing of these activities. A deep, black pall of silence settled over the whole archipelago.” (MacArthur 202).
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Malachi, chapter four, refers to Jesus Christ as the “Sun of righteousness.” In the absence of the sun we have darkness. It is the job of the resistance in this dark hour, having been trained by the Commander now in exile, to fight the good fight of faith. We are to resist the enemy with all the energy and weaponry supplied unto us by our Great Commander. Sometimes the road gets dark and dreary and that is when we are to plug into the generator of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and the fellowship of the army of the church. Unlike MacArthur’s men left behind enemy lines to fight, we do not have to succumb to the “deep, black pall of silence.” We can have constant communication with our commander.
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“Two months after the fall of the Manila Bay defenses, a brief and pathetic message from a weak sending station on Luzon was brought to me. Short as it was, it lifted the curtain of silence and uncertainty, and disclosed the start of a human drama with few parallels in military history. I knew, after that message, that my estimate of the moral fiber of the Filipino people was correct. The fire and the spirit of this indomitable nation burned as brightly as ever. I knew that the remnants of my soldiers were not abandoning the fight while they lived and had the means. The words of that message warmed my heart. ‘your victorious return is the nightly subject of prayer in every Filipino home.’ I had acquired a force behind the Japanese lines that would have a far-reaching effect on the war in the days to come. Let no man misunderstand the meaning of that message from the Philippines. Here was a people in one of the most tragic hours of human history, bereft of all reason for hope and without material support, endeavoring, despite the stern realities confronting them, to hold aloft the flaming torch of liberty. I recognized the spontaneous movement of a free people to resist the physical and spiritual shackles with which the enemy sought to bind them. It was a poignant moment.” .
The Commander responded immediately... “...I cannot predict the date of return to the Philippines, but I am coming” (MacArthur pg 202-203).
"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" (Mark 13:32).
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How can we help but see the parallel here. The Supreme Commander in exile is concerned for his army and interested in every detail. His army is behind enemy lines, times are dark, threat is real, and hope is by faith in the return of their Commander. Even the heart of the Commander is encouraged and blessed by the bright hope glowing in the hearts of his army. The memory of Daniel’s prayer through the great resistance comes to mind (Dan. 10:13). In our day of false hopes in worldly solutions to the problems of our society, we have little or no reason to look to the doctors, scientists, and politicians of our day. The heart of our great Commander is encouraged by a small band of fighters doing what they can (Mark 14:8) under these adverse circumstances. They hold the fort with great resolve. Though our sending stations may be weak, we need to be faithful to communicate to our Great Commander that... your return is the nightly subject of prayer in every Christian heart. “Even so come Lord Jesus.”
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Unhappily, the sender of that first message, Lieutenant Colonel Guellermo Nakar, a former battalion commander of the 14th Infantry of the Philippine forces, was caught by the Japanese, tortured, and beheaded. He wasn’t the first and he wasn’t to be the last to die in the struggle, but for every patriot who thus went to a horrible and lonely death, a new leader rose to carry on the fight. The word passed from island to island and from barrio to barrio. From Aparri in the north to Zamboanga in the south, the fire of resistance to the invader spread. Whole divisions of Japanese troops that the Emperor badly needed elsewhere were deployed against phantom enemy units. Not many times in recorded history has the world witnessed a spectacle such as the struggle that now ensued. A strong and ruthless force, at times using barbaric methods, was never able to completely conquer this simple, brave people armed with very little more than courage and faith in the promise that we would return.” (MacArthur pg 203).
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For some reason in the laws of the Creator lies a rule, very contrary to human reason, that growth both spiritual and numerical, is born out of hardship, trials, tribulation and persecution. As we observe the terrible decline of the spiritual condition of our nations and their flight away from anything associated with righteousness, we will see more and more following displays. “...yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service" (John 16:2).
Let us “Neither give place to the devil.” (Lk. 4:6) and “...use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.” May we be encouraged to know that our strong resistance serves to frustrate the actions of the enemy, and that, if necessary, our skillful withdrawal will be in obedience to our Great Commander’s will that we, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13).
It was stated also in Reminiscences that the faithful resistance of those brave Americans on Bataan served as an encouragement to the Filipino people that the Americans had not deserted them. When our resistance takes a publicly visible form, such as a street meeting or speaking up for righteousness, or handing out of a gospel tract, our resistance becomes a tremendous encouragement to those more secret disciples of our Commander.
While wearing my scripture jacket one day, a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said that she liked my jacket. I thanked her and asked for her testimony and she freely gave it, but then added, “but I wish I was as courageous as you.” I simply said to her, “It’s not courage, it is obedience.” This encouraged her greatly to discover that she had available to her the same courage if only she would obey.
In the armies of the past when the brave flag bearer fell, he was instantly replaced by another brave man. Let us be faithful to fill the gap of those whose names appear not only in the Lamb’s Book of Life but also in the Lord’s book of martyrs. May we allow their sacrifice to strengthen us both in resolve as well as numerical ranks as we take great courage in the soon return of our Great Commander.
COLLABORATORS VS. MARTYRS
Not a very high percentage of soldiers in any army will fight to the end and die an honorable death for the cause at hand. There will always be those who will cave at the threshold of inconvenience, discomfort, or threatening words. "And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words..."(Eze. 2:6).
General Aguinaldo of the Philippine army wrote MacArthur a letter during the Bataan standoff. He must have turned a blind eye to the atrocities and ravages of the Japanese. He must have turned a twisted ear to the propaganda of their failed but tempting promises. The letter rehearsed the terrible devastation of the Philippines and its people by the Japanese and blamed it all on the fact that the islands were a possession of the United States. He urged MacArthur to surrender in order that the government of the Philippines might accept the rule of the Japanese and thus end their part of the war. With unabashed default he wrote, “Japan, through her prime minister, has promised us prompt independence with honor, declaring in the Diet of January 21, 1942: ‘Japan will gladly grant the Philippines its independence so long as it cooperates and recognizes the Japanese program of establishing a greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere suspensive points’”(MacArthur). This defector had taken the thirty pieces of silver offered to him by the enemy. Was he weak? Was he deceived? Was he a traitor? Was he a collaborator? Yes - to all of the above!
It seems this tendency to compromise is more evident in second-generation Christian soldiers. Nearly every great work suffers compromise with the progressive generations. The comfort and ease of late-Laodicea is very hard to turn your back on. The worst duty in my ministry is preaching in a Christian high school chapel. Most of these kids are defectors in their hearts. Pick any Christian College and you will nauseatingly experience much the same. I would much rather draw duty preaching in front of a biker bar or a sodomite house. Thank God for a few exceptions.
FOLLOW THE CAPTAIN
Our manual, the Bible, often likens the spiritual life to warfare, soldiery, battle, and combat. In and of ourselves, there remains the constant threat of defeat, but we can be continuously renewed, rearmed, revitalized, and reenlisted by constant communication with our Captain and by re-reading His manual.
MacArthur never seemed to falter in his attitude of victory. He exuded this tonic to all who came near him. Having fled the terrible “defeat” in Bataan and facing tremendous odds, he tells of his arrival in Melbourne to build an army for victory.
“As the train pulled into Melbourne, cheering thousands lined the streets in a tumultuous welcome. But heartening as the welcome was, it did not disguise the fact that a sense of dangerous defeatism had seized upon a large segment of Australia’s 7,000,000 people. The primary problem was to replace the pessimism of failure with the inspiration of success. What the Australians needed was a strategy which held out the promise of victory” (MacArthur).
Speaking of his relationship with the Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin, MacArthur writes…
“We promptly came to a sense of mutual trust, co-operation, and regard that was never once breached by word, thought, or deed. He was the kind of man the Australians called “fair dinkum.” As I rose to leave, I put my arm around his strong shoulder. ‘Mr. Prime Minister,’ I said, ‘we two, you and I, will see this thing through together. We can do it and we will do it. You take care of the rear and I will handle the front.’ He shook me by both hands and said, ‘I knew I was not wrong in selecting you as Supreme Commander.’”
If we could just link-up with our Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ in a similar manner, we could enjoy a similar victory.
THE SWORD AND THE SHIELD
Mac knew that defense must play an important part as well. He assured the Australians that adequate defenses would be maintained, all the while aiming for the “earliest possible moment for offensive action.”
Five out of six pieces of our spiritual armour listed in Ephesians six are for our defense. We are instructed and admonished by our Captain to use these weapons for our defense, all which point to our relationship with Him. Then we must take up the sword of the spirit and follow Him into battle. Let us not forget what followed when the patriarch David forewent the battle and tarried at Jerusalem.
Our Captain admonishes us to “abstain from all appearance of evil.”(1 Thes. 5:22) and to “use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.” (Gal 5:13) and to neither give place to the devil (Eph. 4:27). Our Captain knows his stuff. He has been at the front lines personally and knows the war. He told us that He would never forsake us and that He would be with us to the end of the world. If we will simply follow his victorious strategy, how can we lose?
There were times when the equipment and supplies of the General were described as shoestring, but his resolve and wise tactics won the day. The Supreme Commander of all of the Pacific Theater of WWII had at his disposal less than 2% of the total U.S. Army and Air Force. His allocation of U.S. Navy forces was even smaller than that of the Army and Air Force.
SPIRITUAL LOGISTICS AND STRATEGY
If one would draw a comparison between the world’s manpower, equipment and tactics against the numbers and equipment and methods of Christians, we can only fit in the category of Gideon’s ragtag band. Then one would need to subtract from the Christian’s side the huge percentage of Christians who do not, and will not fight because of fear. You might end up with 2% of Christians who would dare to unquestionably follow the leadership of the Lord. There simply is no way we can win with our strength. Remember though, the wise words of that fearless warrior of the past, Jonathan, “…there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.” The Lord, like Mac, delights in confounding the wise with His impossible strategy. Remember the Red Sea, Jericho, Gideon’s trumpets, and even your own salvation. Praise the Lord for His most brilliant strategy over all our enemies.
The one edge we always have over the world is our access to wisdom. With the perfect Word of God, and the strategy found therein, coupled with the availability of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Himself. Why should we ever become discouraged, much less be defeated? Remember the story of the poor wise man in Ecclesiastes chapter 9 who delivered the city by his wisdom? The next verse says, “Wisdom is better than strength.”
The world rejoices at the seeming defeat of Jesus, that fanatical religious leader, just as Japan must have celebrated the rout of MacArthur. The world perceives the army of the Lord Jesus Christ as a small, weak, unorganized fanatical cult (albeit sometimes noisy and pesky) of followers who have nothing better, or more practical, to do but scream war chants to make the world feel guilty and uncomfortable, bringing unnecessary reproach and suffering upon themselves. They need only to read the last four chapters of the Bible to discover the final result of the war. WITH HIM…WE WIN!
THE GENERAL’S PLANS TO WIN
General Douglas MacArthur’s war strategies were considered unorthodox. First and foremost, he planned to win. “There is no substitute for victory” was one of his famous sayings. His colleagues and/or competitors found it very hard to argue against success. From hindsight, his brilliance in war strategy became the conventional study of future students of war. As most winning commanders have been throughout man’s history, MacArthur’s war plans were ahead of his time. Thank God, for largely because of this, the war was shortened, and thousands, yea, possibly millions of casualties were never realized.
Mac spent long hours contemplating the strategy of coming battle. He would pour over every detail of every map available to him, visualizing the battle and usually foreseeing the action of the enemy and directing accordingly. It was known that if he were seen pacing his veranda on a warm South Pacific evening, he was not to be disturbed and the enemy was in trouble. Since he was not an unspiritual man, it might well have been he was receiving his instructions from a headquarters located quite out of this world. After all, it is not in man to direct his ways, and I do believe the Lord had a significant hand in directing the results of the war. Let’s peek into a scene inside a staff meeting as told by his biographer, William Manchester.
“Strolling around the veranda, he would outline a coming operation to Sutherland and the others, and pointing the stem of pipe at each officer, would crisply outline individual assignments. Then he would draft a detailed plan, which, one of them recalls, would be a volume inches thick. Every commander thoroughly familiarized himself with his section of it; MacArthur knew it all. In most instances, their contacts with him were confined to answering questions and receiving orders. He intended it to be that way, that is what he meant by ‘remote.’
In the spiritual warfare, the Bible plainly tells us, "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). We need only to listen as Mac’s staff listened and follow the strategy of the Great Victor.
This successful strategist employed all three methods of military aggression, those being air, land and sea. He supported General Billy Mitchell in his battle to separate the air force from the army and although he served on the court martial for General Mitchell, he voted in favor of him. Mac had great rapport with George Kinney, his subordinate in charge of his air corps and afforded him much private time and many accolades. This happened in an era when the airplane continued its struggle to win approval as a vital weapon of war.
Other commanders viewed water as a hindrance…the General saw it as a highway. He adapted the ancient and classic strategy of war called envelopment to his modern, tri-phibious warfare that became known as “leapfrogging.” Instead of island hopping which was what every other commander thought should be done, the Commander of the Pacific would avoid frontal attacks with their terrible loss of life. The Supreme Commander would leap over large sections of the enemy, essentially surrounding them and cutting off their supply lines leaving them hanging out to dry. Many thousands of enemy would be dug-in with elaborate preparations of men and armament, in expectation of MacArthur’s imminent assault, only to be left like a bride at the altar rail. As the General thought things through there was no need, on many occasions, to meet the enemy head on. This strategy was rewarded with, by far, the fewest casualties of any major commander of the war, as well as with the frustration and confusion of the enemy. To cite just one illustration, in the Philippine operation after Luzon he lost 820 GI’s, while over 21,000 Japanese were slain.
Quoting again from Reminiscences a Japanese colonel says of Mac’s tactics… “This was the type of strategy we hated most. The Americans, with minimum losses attacked and seized a relatively weak area, constructed airfields and then proceeded to cut the supply lines to troops in that area. Without engaging in a large scale operation, our strong points were gradually starved out. The Japanese Army preferred direct assault, after the German fashion, but the Americans flowed into our weaker points and submerged us, just as water seeks the weakest entry to sink a ship. We respected this type of strategy for its brilliance because it gained the most while losing the least."
GENERAL UNITY OF COMMAND
There was one factor in his strategy that was emphasized above all others. This was the all-important element of unity in command. The General did not balk at shouldering all the responsibility. He preferred it that way. He did his best work and felt most confident when every detail of every decision was planned out and finalized by his own design. He was not above seeking advice from those in commands under him, but MacArthur developed the big picture. There were several occasions when battles wavered and were even lost because of split command. The General wrote in his autobiography:
“I urged, with all the
earnestness of which I was capable, that the command in the Pacific be unified. I stated
that, although I was the senior ranking officer by many years, I would be willing to
accept a subordinate position, to accomplish the general good. It was in vain. Of all the
faulty decisions of war perhaps the most unexplainable one was the failure to unify the
command in the Pacific….The failure to (unify) in the Pacific cannot be defended in
logic, in theory, or in common sense. Other motives must be ascribed. It resulted in
divided effort, the waste, diffusion, and duplication of force, and the consequent
extension of the war, with added casualties and cost…The handicaps and hazards
unnecessarily resulting were numerous, and many a man lies in his grave today who could
have been saved.”
During most of the war, General MacArthur was Supreme Commander of the Pacific and unquestioned head over all branches of military service. There were occasions though, when bureaucrats and politicians in Washington tried their hand at running the war from 12,000 miles away. On these occasions these white-collar soldiers were neither current in their intelligence nor efficient in their communication. The politics involved in these attempts necessitated divided command and often resulted in disaster.
The battle for Leyte Gulf, in the Philippine Islands, was one of strategic importance to Allied victory in that region. This battle would employ Army, Navy and Air Force in an effort too intricate and complex to describe here. MacArthur recalls in his autobiography, “Through a series of fatal misunderstandings, directly attributed to divided command, ambiguous messages, and poor communication…” this battle would have been lost. The fact that it was not lost was credited by MacArthur to “direct partiality of Almighty God.”
“THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE” (John. 17:21)
If unity of command and proper communication is that important between feeble men in an earthly war, how much more vital would it be to the operations between our Lord Jesus Christ and His church. When we are guilty of attempting to run His war or interfere with His communications, we are assured of eternal disaster. Our Great Commander went to elaborate extremes to avoid this in the preserving of a perfect battle manual as well as the direct, and never failing line of communication between the grunt and Command Headquarters and it is a tragic and eternal shame that any battle should be in jeopardy because of our static interference. I think of Asa in 2 Chron. 16 who consulted directly with Headquarters concerning his war with the Ethiopians but called Syria for help in his next conflict. I think of Hezekiah, who, nearly all of his reign, was in constant communication with his Commander and Chief, except when he got sick and trusted to physicians. Moses met disaster when he divided Authority at the waters of Meribah. Our Great Captain is available, His intelligence is perfect, His strategy is immutable and His record is victorious. Pride is the static injected into the lines of communication between mortal man and his undefeated Supreme Commander, thus dividing the command, inevitably resulting in catastrophe.
FEARLESS BEYOND BELIEF
Tales of Mac’s courage and fearlessness are numerous. Although some may be exaggerated and even spurious, many that are so well documented that one cannot discount this quality in him. It would seem true, that among the countless commanders of military history, the ones who shine among their men, as well as in history, are those who put themselves in the forefront of harm’s way and set an example of supreme courage in the face of extreme danger. I know well as a man how these scenes of valour stir the daring within me, just by the reading of them. How multiplied this energy must have been to view them displayed live on the field of battle. No one can sleep while reading the audacious accounts of General Stonewall Jackson or General George Patton. MacArthur was a leader in this field.
Stressed by battlefield administration duties one day, MacArthur said to the doctor who accompanied him that he needed to “meet some fire, and I don’t just mean sniper fire.” Several other staff joined him as they walked toward the front and encountered a silent truck of Japanese soldiers, all erect and all dead—victims of a flamethrower. They passed through a platoon of GIs who were crouched behind cover and who looked up at them as though they were insane. They were warned repeatedly that they were nearing the enemy. On the edge of an enemy-held city they were stopped by a wall. Overhead a Japanese officer was looking down at them through binoculars. MacArthur squared off, placed his hands to his hips, and stared back until the Japanese glanced away. The doctor started counting skirling bullets and stopped when he reached twenty-eight. Then a GI popped out of a cellar and said there was a machine gun just ahead. It started to chatter, and MacArthur turned and walked away slowly, each step deliberately taken, showing his contempt for peril. It was common for him to expose himself to heavy fire to show his men that he was not afraid to do what he was asking them to do. His staff as well as his superiors did not always agree that this was necessary. Dr. Egeberg asked the General why he took such needless risks. The General replied, “If I do it the colonels will do it. If the colonels do, it the captains will do it, and so on.”
On a ship, under great attack, MacArthur stood on deck without fear and observed the attac