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American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964

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"American Caesar " is William Manchester's superbly crafted and supremely well researched biography of Douglas MacArthur, one of the greatest but most controversial military leaders in American history. MacArthur has been praised for his brilliant strategic and tactical abilities during both world wars and accomplishments as Military Governor in post-World War II Japan, and criticized for his overweening egoism and inability to subordinate himself to the wishes of his civilian superiors.

William Manchester writes with wit and candor as he chronicles MacArthur's life from his earliest days to his death in 1964, at age 84. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective. We see MacArthur at his finest: capable and courageous on the battlefield during World War I, rising quickly to general officer rank as a result of his abilities; between the world wars, a progressive, reform-minded superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, and later U.S. Army Chief of Staff; during World War II, a Medal of Honor winner, and the gifted but overly vainglorious commander of all Allied forces in the South Pacific, who achieved brilliant military successes with his "island-hopping" strategy; and later, as Military Governor of Japan, displaying a surprising magnanimity toward the conquered Japanese by introducing American-style democracy and liberal reforms. We also see him at his worst: pompous and vain, always seeking personal glory, often at his subordinates' expense; vindictive toward his subordinates when they disagreed with him; and finally, during the Korean War, the Supreme Commander whose hubris led him to openly defy his commander-in-chief, resulting in his relief by President Harry Truman.

"American Caesar" clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose. It stands alongside fellow biographer D. Clayton James' three-volume "The Years of MacArthur," as one of the two best accounts of Douglas MacArthur's life available today. Highly recommended!

It is a sad fact that many people in this day and age would be unable to state who Douglas MacArthur was or what place in history he has assumed. As the Second World War drifts further into the annals of history, the lives and accomplishments of the war's great commanders are in danger of , as MacArthur himself said "slowly fading away".

Douglas MacArthur was a colossus. He did not merely play an important role in the war in the Pacific, he dominated it and went on to play a crucial role in the West's early response to Communism in the Far East. William Manchester's exhaustive biography paints a warts and all portrait of the General. Manchester expresses rightful admiration for MacArthur's strategic brilliance and his amazing role in the recontstruction of post-war Japan. Yet, he does not shy away from criticism of MacArthur's extraordinary vanity which, in many cases, almost led (and during the Korean War did lead) to the General's downfall. I finished the book far more enlightened on the character of this individual and yet was left to draw my own conclusions as to his place in history.

Manchester's book is not just an immensely readable, throughly documented portrait of Douglas MacArthur. It also serves as a valuable work on the prosecution of the war in the Pacific and the early years of the Cold War and draws some very valuable and raises some interesting questions on the origin of America's entry into the war in Vietnam.

Individuals such as Douglas MacArthur should not be forgotten. Love them or hate them, they played a critical role in the history of the 20th Century and to the lives which each and every one of us live today. "American Casear" does justice to all aspects of Douglas MacArthur's life and character and I have no doubts that it will fascinate anyone who picks it up.

5 stars without any hesitation whatsoever.

William Manchester's American Caesar is a nicely polished and thoroughly researched book covering the career of General Douglas MacArthur, arguably the most controversial and one of the best U.S. military leaders of the Twentieth Century. Manchester covers MacArthur's life from his early childhood to his death at age 84 in 1964. MacArthur's remarkable life and career spans the time from his youth spent on remote western military posts in the 1880's, through the two World Wars and the Korean Conflict, and his subsequent dismissal by President Truman and entry into GOP politics.

Douglas MacArthur was perfectly bred for military leadership and his future historical role. The son of a Civil War recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Military Governor of the Philippines, Douglas MacArthur surpassed even his father's amazing military and historical accomplishments. Manchester argues that MacArthur had a unique genius for military operations, from his quick promotion at age 38 to the command of the Rainbow Division in World War I, to his campaigns in the Pacific and his bold invasion at Inchon in the Korean War. MacArthur's military capabilities conceivably saved thousands of American lives. Typically his military moves were cunning and daring, bypassing enemy strongpoints and leading to victories at lower costs in terms of lives than operations undertaken by his U.S. military contemporaries.

The book's title, American Caesar, uniquely describes MacArthur's career as the liberator of the Philippines and the Military administrator of Japan. Perhaps no other American in history has held the type of power that MacArthur held in Japan as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. Yet his immense power was wielded with grace and an understanding of the Japanese people and their culture. MacArthur's long service in Asia uniquely suited him to this role.

MacArthur's weaknesses which ultimately led to his downfall at the hands of President Truman are explored. MacArthur learned that great military exploits are often achieved by acting against the will or explicit instructions of his superiors. Combining this trait with an immense ego, MacArthur's showdown with President Truman was almost unavoidable. This led to his firing and a lasting feud with Truman that ultimately tarnished MacArthur's reputation despite his incredible career and service.

Manchester presents MacArthur as a complex figure full of contradictions. MacArthur is shown as a warrior who exposed himself to extreme danger, but was often derisively referred to as "Dugout Doug" when he vainly surrounded himself with luxurious surroundings in his headquarters. He instituted liberal democratic reforms in Japan, then became a hard line conservative spokesman in the United States. By illuminating these contradictions inherent in MacArthur's personality, William Manchester presents General Douglas MacArthur's long and eventful life in a book which makes interesting and exciting reading.

Manchester always writes a great book--he is a superb stylist and has an unusual knack for placing a historical figure in the context of his times. (I have previously read his biographies of H.L. Mencken and Churchill as well as Death of a President and The Arms of Krupp.) In this book, he really attempts to explore what motivated Douglas MacArthur, an extremely complex warrior-statesman. Especially good is his review of the famous Truman sacking of the general during the Korean War; in Manchester's eyes, this incident evolved out of ambiguous directions from the Joint Chiefs and the Chiefs' unwillingness to confront a powerful, winning senior officer. Especially amazing is the breadth of experience MacArthur had throughout his life--from Wild West stations with his general father through the post-Spanish-American War period in the Philippines, then the trenches of World War I, and finally the general's phenomenal recoveries after early disasters in the Philippines in World War II and in Korea. This is a balanced though sympathetic review of MacArthur's life--Manchester concedes that he was both a vain popinjay with a touch of paranoia, but also a brilliant military strategist and a true old-style liberal democrat in his viceregency in Japan after World War II. This is a "must read" for anyone interested in World War II and is a good companion to Manchester's personal account of his own experiences as a Marine in the South Pacific.

"American Caesar" is the incredible biography of a modern American legend; General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Certainly no other modern American military leader engenders such controversy and hotly-expressed differences in opinion than does General MacArthur, and no one does a better job at providing a definitive historical biography than William Manchester. This is truly a magnificent book, a spellbinding story splendidly told by a master of English prose, rendered in a flawless, comprehensive, and objective treatment of this complex, often contradictory, and brilliant leader of men in desperate combat. This is no mean feat, as anyone venturing to understand the man, his eccentricities, and his actions during the tenure of his fifty-year career as a virtual American military institution in the Orient can testify.

According to Manchester, MacArthur was a man of consummate contradictions; vain, mercurial, often baffling, imperious, childish and unable to admit he erred. Yet he was at times also iron-willed, charming, and absolutely brilliant. For Manchester, MacArthur was unquestionably the most gifted military man this country had ever seen. Indeed, it is undeniable that he was a man of incredible vision, although he often acted against his own better judgment, and was finally brought down both by his own demons and his damnable inability to admit he had made mistakes. Reading this book, one recognizes what a fascinating paradox MacArthur actually was.

Manchester traces the General's long and illustrious career, which caught fire and purpose as Commander of the famed Rainbow Division during the First World War. Following the war, he trudged through a myriad of assignments, finally retiring long before the start of WWII hostilities to become a military advisor (with portfolio) for the Philippine government. Of course, with the rapid build up of American forces and the recognition of coming trouble with Japan, he was reinstated and became the modern day Caesar referred to in the title. Manchester argues that MacArthur, like his father before him, had a quite unique genius for military leadership, and although he barely escaped being sacked (as both the Army and navy Commanding Generals in Hawaii had been after Pearl Harbor), he went on to become a rallying point and inspirational leader throughout the long and difficult Pacific campaign.

At the end of WWII, MacArthur was assigned as the overall Military Governor of Japan, and served both in this capacity and also as the controversial commander of American forces in Korea until finally relieved under duress by President Truman over the question of insubordination that after fifty years cost the General his career. The circumstances surrounding MacArthur's dismissal are a story in and of themselves, and Manchester explains them in a particularly fascinating way, leaving the reader to speculate to himself regarding the apparent paradoxes and seeming contradictions conflicting with each other in one singularly remarkable, accomplished, and unique personality. This book is a remarkable, masterfully written account of the long and distinguished career of one of the most influential military leaders in the history of the Republic, and this is also a book that any self-respecting student of modern history should include prominently in his personal library. Enjoy!

"American Caesar" is a highly literate, extremely well researched biography of General Douglas MacArthur. Since the General's Army career spanned almost 50 years, the time sweep of "AC" is quite extensive, but Mr. Manchester maintains reader interest throughout. As a work of history, it should qualify as a masterpiece. The strongest point of "AC" is that the persona of the General never gets lost in a sea of facts or too many characters. It remains a biography, first and foremost. The reader always is aware that s(he) is reading about a human being- with strong points and weak points just like all of us. I was impressed with the obvious importance of family, especially his wife and son to the General. Major historical figures like F.D.R. and Harry Truman take a backseat to the main character. Some readers might maintain that is exactly where they belong! While "AC" covers the General's heroism in World War I, the focus is on his military campaigns in World War II. Great detail is given to his controversial and hazardous- initial retreat from the Philippines to Australia and his push back north, capturing strategic New Guinea and retaking the Philippines. To his credit, author Manchester, a former Marine, strives to demonstrate that the General's tactics saved thousands of U.S. casualties, compared to the frontal assaults on other Pacific islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa. For example, the General bypassed and isolated the strong Japanese garrison on Rabaul in eastern New Guinea, rather than attack in force. He also talked the Navy and Marines down from a senseless, hazardous and tactically useless invasion of Formosa (Taiwan). His casualty rates are also compared very favorably to those incurred by General Dwight Eisenhower at Normandy and the Bulge. (The two did not exactly admire one another). If there are any weak points in "AC", they are minor. One could argue that the bio of the General is not sufficiently critical, but this reader would defer license to a talented author. One could also argue that too much space is allocated to the General's troubles with Harry Truman during the Korean War. Since so many identify the General with that particular segment of his career, it would be difficult for Manchester to pass lightly over it. (The author does not exactly admire HST). A note of warning: The MAPS in the paperback version of "AC" are too small for a close following of the SW Pacific War. If amazon could offer a large print/ hardcover version of "AC", the extra cost would be worth it. I used a magnifying glass! Inadequate maps seem to be a requirement for military tales "AC" has plenty of company in this regard. I hope this review has done credit to a first rate work of historical biography. Over 844 pages, followers of history and military affairs will not be disappointed.

Douglas MacArthur cut a broad swath through the first 50 years of the 20th century. His exploits in WWII and Korea engross armchair generals to this day. Oddly, the pinnacle of MacArthur's career may have been his military governance of Japan during the five years between WWII and Korea. MacArthur, the professional warrior, displayed remarkable political skill and compassion dealing with a complicated situation. In battle, other commanders unnessarily took heavy casualties in achieving military goals. MacArthur achieved his goals, from New Guinea to Inchon, by masterful strategies that spared men and material. His failure to adapt to the Cold War concept of a "limited war" in Korea led to his downfall. In MacArthur's 19th century vision, an all-out effort to defeat the enemy was the only way to wage war. Anything less was anathema. His famous conflict with the feisty Harry Truman over Korea makes fascinating reading. William Manchester's work is exhaustive. As usual, he paints history with a broad brush. The military and political events, including the people and the background, receive a big-picture treatment. Aloofness, conceit, and pretentiousness make MacArthur a difficult subject. Manchester does a good job of presenting a three-dimensional picture of the man, the husband, the father, and the general. The book respects the general's place in American history without fawning over its subject. MacArthur was as close to Caesar as one can get in a healthy democratic republic. This work is recommended for multiple reading and further studies. ;-)

I found this book to be a fascinating picture into the life and times of Douglass MacArthur. While Manchester does a splendid job of researching and examining the general's acts and personality, this book may prove a little vague concerning historical events outside the immediate area of the general. In other words, this book should be read by those very familiar with events in World War II, especially the Pacific Theatre, and the relief of MacArthur by Truman. Otherwise, many of the points made so successfully by Manchester may be lost on younger readers who didn't live through or have the generals exploits recounted innumerable times to them. Otherwise, this book is a very fine scholarly look and deserves to be read by any historian interested in MacArthur or the Pacific Theater of war.

William Manchester examines the life of General Douglas MacArthur. AMERICAN CAESAR, DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, 1880-1964 begins with his birth and ends with his death. For anyone that has an interest in reading about military leaders, or in general, leaders of the twentieth-century, AMERICAN CAESAR and its 793 pages, is an excellent starting point. One thing that comes to mind when one thinks of General Douglas MacArthur is how he has been misunderstood by those who have not spent the time to read or understand who the man really was. For every leader that has passed through history, one always finds a way to tarnish the image of a leader and to debunk the myth and legend. Writers and critics have written about MacArthur's downfall as well as his own self-interest and egotism or juicy tidbits of his personal life. Where would the label of greatness be without those traits? AMERICAN CAESAR contains all those subjects, but with much respect to the man.

However, AMERICAN CAESAR portrays General MacArthur's unique personality as an individual with much emphasis on the man and the compassion and determination he possessed with the people and countries he associated with. It is these traits, which hold much prestige over the one controversy in Korea that existed near the end of his service. Manchester carefully paths MacArthur's life , and takes from other scholarships, archival material as well as from MacArthur's memoir, REMINISCENCES, to acquaint readers with the man and the many experiences he encountered during his tenure as one most of the highly decorated generals in US history. Manchester uses the moniker of "Caesar" and historical references to great leaders throughout the book, such as Napoleon, Lincoln, U.S. Grant in comparing and paralleling MacArthur's life to particular conflicts these leaders overcame or not to his own. As an avid reader of history, MacArthur thrived on history. Manchester states that MacArthur once told a reporter that his only advisors were Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, and emphasized that "one founded the United States, the other saved it" (479). This may have been suggesting that he was in good company with men of great acclimation and sought to reach the levels that they had achieved.

Manchester does a fine job presenting all aspects of MacArthur's life and the players that brought him up as well as brought him down. For a man who greatly helped rid the world from imperialistic tyranny by the Japanese during the war in the Pacific, he helped Japan to reconstruct its government and country to what it is today. Who could predict what may have happened if MacArthur maintained his position in Korea? For a man that lived in the Pacific and Asian theatre for 14 years, and took more precedence over the study of this region of the world, he may have known more about how the people thought militarily than the men in Washington. Many hypotheses will pop-up while reading this immense book. Nonetheless, MacArthur was led on a mission to rid the world of war and accomplished it, and later in his life spoke against it.

American Caesar is an historical triumph in helping one to understand the complexities and contradictions inherent in the behavior of one of America's few military geniuses. This book is easy to read and drops the reader right onto the battlefields of World War 2. Not since reading The Glory and the Dream by the same author have I enjoyed a book so much. Thumbs up on a superb achievement well worth the perusal of anyone who cares about our country's leaders, past or present.