Re: Error Condition Re: Re: 1st MarDiv to Korea by back channel

[Marc James Small <msmall@infi.net>]

At 04:39 AM 11/2/02 EST, SDonell73@aol.com wrote:
>As for the Army's official history's observation that the request for a
>regiment emanated from the top of MacArthur's head, it's a misinformed
>comment. There wasn't a full strength regiment to be had to be requested.
>"Frustrated at being excluded from both JCS and Navy Department
>deliberation during the first week of the war, Cates pressured (CNO
>Forrest) Sherman, to volunteer the Marines immediately, but the CNO waited
>until 1 July, the day after Truman decided to commit ground troops to cable
>MacArthur (through Admiral Joy) that the Marine Corps wanted to send him a
>reinforced regiment. " 
> 


Sandy

It has been many, many years since I have read the "Army's offical
history", so I no longer recall what is contained there on this subject.
But I would urge you to read the general histories of the Korean War, which
uniformly state that MacArthur requested a Marine Regiment and Air Wing
immediately after he was instructed to send troops in.  DOD ASKED him what
forces he wanted, and his initial response was to request Marines.  It is
quite possible that Cates was pressuring the Navy Department
simultaneously, so both versions might well be accurate -- Cates got the
message sent offering Marines at the same time MacArthur was requesting
them, and the messages "passed in the mail", so to speak..

The point is rather minor, but I will simply remind you that there is a LOT
more history out there than that produced by or about the Marine Corps, and
you probably would beneft from climbing out of the foxhole and partaking of
the general world of scholarship.

Marc

msmall@infi.net  FAX:  +276/343-7315
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