Douglas MacArthur: Soldier of the Century I

By Stuart Lervick

Dear Editor:
 
RE: Dr. Jerry Morelock’s "Douglas MacArthur: Soldier of the Century," Armchair General Cover Story, Oct-Nov issue
 
Had the soldiers who derisively called him “Dugout Doug” understood MacArthur’s strategy of “hitting ‘em where they ain’t.” they would have appreciated the fact that his war effort delivered the lowest casualty list in WW2. Their chances of surviving the war would have been greater than with any other commander.  MacArthur’s kill ratio was 10 dead Japanese for every American.  Between his arrival in Australia and his return to the Philippines over a span of 2 1/2 years, his troops suffered 27,684 casualties.  In stark contrast, during the Battle of Normandy, Eisenhower lost 28,366 (source: William Manchester, “The American Caesar”). 

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Thank you.

Sincerely,   Stuart Lervick,  Stanwood, WA

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Stuart, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.  While I have to say that I doubt MacArthur could have minimized the necessary casualties taken during the treacherous fighting in Normandy, I know there are plenty of survivors who love what he did in the Pacific. 

Best,

Brian King
Website Editor
Armchair General