Re: Truman and the Marines

["Gernilee Carter" <gernilee@msn.com>]

According to what I've read it was because he couldn't make the grade 
himself.  That does, indeed, sound enourmously immature and irrational for 
someone who is President of the country - but I suppose one does not lose 
one's weaknesses just because one becomes President.  But did he try to get 
into the Marines?  Probably not, it was probably WHO was supporting and 
starting the Marines, most likely a graduate of something or other that he 
could not graduate.
   Gernilee
All of this in my humble opinion and  taken from my inadequate study and 
reading.



----Original Message Follows----
From: "Love Shack" <Home@DanSources.com>
Reply-To: KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu
To: <KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu>
Subject: Re: Truman and the Marines
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 15:39:58 -0400

The comment was that Truman Hated the Marines and West Point.
Knowing what was provoking his feelings is what Iam after.
You do not like or dislike something for a whim.

Dan



  ----- Original Message -----
  From: M. Katz
  To: KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu
  Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 3:03 PM
  Subject: Truman and the Marines


  In a private letter distributed publicly by the recipient, a congressman, 
Truman accused the Marines of running a "propaganda machine almost as good 
as Stalin's," a remark for which he had to publicly grovel in apology.  And 
there were suggestions at the time, an era of drastic military cost-cutting, 
that the Marines were redundant and should be cut.
      But what are the "hateful" remarks you are referring to?
  --Mandy Katz

  Love Shack wrote:

    There is more to more to Trumans distaste of the Marine then is being 
told.
    When financial resources were low for military budgets there was a lot 
of harsh
    words going on.  Especially the arbitrage and asset stripping that was 
going on with
    the large companies. It ws brutal and political. Very few survived 
today intact.
    Such as GM, Hughes, Ford, Boeing, IBM...and a few others.

    During his tenure the DoD, CIA and USAF were established.
    All were new Government Departments.
    (BTW are there any others I missed that were started).

    I am interested in the intent of Truman ire toward the Marines.
    Hate is not a reason. Something drove the decision
    as there were many who were trying to disolve the Marines.

    Not to mention the ire of those who tried to prevent the USAF from 
forming.

    Dan Fahey



      ----- Original Message -----
      From: robert guertin
      To: KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu
      Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 2:34 PM
      Subject: Re: Kunsan and Inchon landings, Sept 12 & 15, 1950


      Don;
      I remember those remarks.....Truman always denigrated the Corps, and 
hated Army West Pointers almost as much, since he had failed to get into the 
Point. As a Marine in the First Battalion, we sent a letter requesting 
Police Badges and whistles since Truman insisted on calling Korea a Police 
Action.
      Thank you for your service.
      DGill11331@aol.com wrote:

        In a message dated 9/8/2003 10:32:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
wanaki@infionline.net writes:

          The Inchon Landing secured the future of the Marine Corps, which 
had been
          considered no longer viable and facing disbanding and integration 
into the
          other branches. As a consequence of the landing and the battle at 
Chosin
          Reservoir, a public law was passed by both houses, declaring that 
this Nation
          would always maintain a Marine Corps of three divisions and 
attached Air Wings.
          Ed Evanhoe wrote:

          >We're coming up on the 53rd anniversary of landing at Kunsan and 
the Inchon
          >landing.  Anyone have any thoughts of these events?
          >
          >Ed


        Korea had two forgotten wars. The main one was the war itself the 
second was a war that Truman leveled against the Marine Corps in the early 
part of the war. Many people forget or just don' t know that the 5th Marine 
Brigade was already engaged at the Pusan Perimeter, the 1st Marine Regiment 
was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on its way to the Inchon Landing and 
the 7th Marine Regiment was on it way from Europe and other places to join 
the 5th and 1st Marines in Korea when President Truman unleashed a brutal 
verbal assault against the integrity of the Marine Corps.
               My company was part of the 1st Marine Regiment on a ship (US 
Noble APA-218) on the high seas on the way to Inchon when Truman made his 
nasty verbal assault against the Marine Corps. I heard Truman's remarks 
first hand because the ship piped all the news from the States over its PA 
system. To the Marines who heard Truman's remarks -- his words had more of a 
detrimental effect on their moral than almost anything we faced in Korea. 
Once a Truman fan after hearing his remarks I never was a fan of his again.
        Don Gill

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