Douglas MacArthur

U.S. Army Marshal. Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during the occupation of Japan. Born in a barracks in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the third son of Civil War hero Arthur (later Lieutenant General), he grew up under the strong influence of his mother, who was from the South. He graduated with honors from the West Point Military Academy, and served in World War I as Chief of Staff of the "Rainbow" Division, which he created, and was awarded 13 medals. After returning to the United States, he became the head of West Point (1919), was promoted to major general (1925), and became Chief of Staff of the Army (with the rank of general) (1930), all of which he set records for being the youngest person to hold such a position. As Chief of Staff, he suppressed the "bonus march" of retired Army soldiers who demanded a lump sum payment of their pensions (1932). President Roosevelt saw the shadow of a dictator in him, as he was handsome, intelligent, and full of intense self-esteem. He had a deep connection with the Philippines for two generations, and in 1935, at the invitation of his friend, the first Philippine President, Quezon, he established the Philippine National Army. In December 1941 (Showa 16), he survived a Japanese attack on the Bataan Peninsula, and after fleeing to Australia by presidential order (March 1942), he successfully launched a counterattack (October 1944), fulfilling his pledge of "I Shall Return." In December 1944, he was promoted to Field Marshal.

He occupied Atsugi Air Base on August 30, 1945 (Showa 20). As the absolute ruler of a surrendered Japan (Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers), he promoted revolutionary democratization such as land reform, women's liberation, and labor reform from the General Headquarters (GHQ), and was especially significant in bringing about a new constitution that upheld national sovereignty and pacifism. With the outbreak of the Korean War (1950), he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Forces, and turned the tide with a surprise landing at Incheon. However, he was dismissed in April 1951 for openly opposing President Truman's policies and calling for an all-out war with China. During his 2,000 days in office, he won the respect of many Japanese people and received hundreds of thousands of fan letters, which is unprecedented in the world history of occupation. After his "Old Soldiers Never Die" speech to Congress, he aspired to run for president in 1952, but he was unable to garner support and spent his later years as chairman of Remington Rand.

[Sodei Rinjiro]

"MacArthur's Memoirs" translated by Kazuo Tsushima (1964, Asahi Shimbun)" ▽ "MacArthur's 2,000 Days" by Rinjiro Sodei (1974, Chuokoron-Shinsha) ▽ "MacArthur's War Memoirs" translated by Kazuo Tsushima (Chuko Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アメリカ陸軍元帥。日本占領の連合軍総司令官。南北戦争の英雄アーサー（のち中将）の三男としてアーカンソー州リトルロックの兵営に生まれ、南部出身の母の強い影響下に育つ。ウェストポイント陸軍士官学校を最優秀で卒業、自分が創案した「虹(レインボー)」師団参謀長として第一次世界大戦に参加し13の叙勲。帰国後ウェストポイント校長（1919）、少将昇進（1925）、陸軍参謀総長（大将待遇）就任（1930）と、いずれも最年少記録をつくった。参謀総長のとき恩給の一括払いを要求する陸軍退役者の「ボーナス・マーチ」を弾圧（1932）。ハンサムで才気と強烈な自尊心に満ちた姿に、ルーズベルト大統領は独裁者の影をみたという。父子二代にわたりフィリピンとのつながりが深く、1935年、友人であるケソン初代連邦大統領の招きに応じ、フィリピン国民軍の創設にあたる。1941年（昭和16）12月日本軍の攻撃をバターン半島でしのぎ、大統領命令でオーストラリアに逃れた（1942年3月）のち、反攻作戦に成功（1944年10月）して「アイ・シャル・リターン」の公約を果たした。1944年12月元帥。

　1945年（昭和20）8月30日厚木基地に進駐。降伏した日本の絶対的支配者（日本占領連合軍最高司令官）として総司令部（GHQ）から農地改革、婦人解放、労働改革など革命的な民主化を進め、とくに国民主権と平和主義の新憲法をもたらした意義は大きい。朝鮮戦争の勃発(ぼっぱつ)（1950）とともに国連軍総司令官に任ぜられ、仁川(じんせん)奇襲上陸で状勢を逆転したが、トルーマン大統領の政策に公然と反対して中国との全面戦争を主張したため、1951年4月解任された。2000日に及ぶ在任の間、多くの日本国民の尊敬をかちえ、何十万通というファンレターが寄せられたのは占領の世界史に例がない。議会で「老兵は死なず」の演説のあと、1952年の大統領選に野心を燃やしたが、支持は集まらず、レミントンランド社会長として晩年を送った。

［袖井林二郎］

『津島一夫訳『マッカーサー回想記』（1964・朝日新聞社）』▽『袖井林二郎著『マッカーサーの二千日』（1974・中央公論社）』▽『津島一夫訳『マッカーサー大戦回顧録』上下（中公文庫）』

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