|
What we have lost sight of here is the object of any war
must be victory, whether the war is fought clubs, muskets, or nuclear weapons.
The only logical conclusion to any war must be completely vanquishing the
enemy.
General MacArthur realized this. By December 1950 we had
defeated the North Korean Army, and had occupied our enemies' country. If
MacArthur's advice had been followed, we could have devastated the Chinese
army with our air power. There would be a united Korea today had we only
clinched our victory.
We ended up only punishing North Korea, just as we punished
North Vietnam, and Iran, simply because we lost sight of the object of war.
General MacArthur never forgot that object. Subsequent
generals apparently never learned this object.
Bob Dove
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 6:07
PM
Subject: Re: MacArthur's War
uh oh - what is JK going to say about that? Carl thanks for the
comments on the book and other things.
Regards, Gernilee
----Original Message Follows----
From: "ysk"
Reply-To: KOREAN-WAR-L@raven.cc.ku.edu
To:
Subject: Re: MacArthur's War
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 14:18:57 -0700
Good take on Gen. Mac -
"There is no sense in the UN, with America bearing the brunt of the
thing, being constantly compelled to man those front lines. This is a job for
the Koreans. We do not want Asia to feel that the white man of the West is his
enemy. If there must be a war there, let it be Asians against Asians, with our
support on the side of freedom." Dec. 17, 1952, Gen. D. Eisenhower
Ike's stark warning fell on deaf ears and the Vietnam War saw
millions of Asians killed by the white man - for what? The white man was
driven out in the end for little to show for.
What about Korea? Didn't the white man save Seoul from Stalin's
rapastry? Didn't South Korea rise from ashes to become an Asian tiger - all
thanks to the white man?
What if the white man had not intervened in Korea? Would Korea be
starving and backward as North Korea is today?
ysk
----- Original Message -----
From: Cfbernard@aol.com
To: KOREAN-WAR-L@raven.cc.ku.edu
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 1:26 PM
Subject: MacArthur's War
Bob Dove, Bruce Gardiner,
Thank you for giving me the clue for searching old files. My
reaction to Weintraub's work written in April 2000 is below. I don't see any
need to update it to reflect what Afghanistan is teaching (we are learning ?)
about other sorts of war.
My exposure to MacArthur began with reading of his exploits and
statements during WWII. It was tempered a bit by the USMC's attempt to keep
their own place in the sun. Typical: "With the help of God (and a few Marines)
MacArthur got back to the Philippines." My clerk's job in the headquarters of
the 7th Marines in Hopei Province in North China stuck many things about him
in my mind. Going to Japan in 1949 made him the big chief, hence in the
consciousness of all of us. Korea was disconcerting to any soldier as innocent
as me.
And this intellectual baggage is what I carried during all my
military service, particularly in Laos and Vietnam. My positive reaction to
Weintraub's discussion of the first ten months of Korea owes much to
reflections that have never left me tranquil.
Best regards,
Carl Bernard
MACARTHUR'S WAR, Korea and the Undoing of an American Hero
by Stanley Weintraub
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: Click Here
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG
anti-virus system ( http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.361
/ Virus Database: 199 - Release Date: 5/7/2002
|