Truman MacArthur meeting; MacArthur relieved of command
April 11th, 1951
General Douglas MacArthur was a great strategist and war hero. Throughout the beginning of the war, he supported the reasons behind the war. However, MacArthur saw a need for a more drastic change in Korea. He thought that the goal of the United States should be to destroy communist forces completely. MacArthur voiced his opinions publicly to the dismay of Harry S. Truman. Truman feared that a hostile approach towards communism would anger the People’s Republic of China or encourage them to intervene in the Korean War. Mac Arthur met Truman in October 1950 to placate his fears of a Chinese intervention. Shortly after, in November and December, nearly 180,000 troops of the People’s Army entered North Korea. This movement was undetected by the United States until it was too late. MacArthur had been humiliated and began manipulating information that was sent to Washington.
On April 11th, 1951, MacArthur was fired by President Truman. He was replaced by General Matthew Ridgeway. Truman publicly defended his foreign policy of the Korean War. He expressed his vision of limited war and his fight to keep the Korean war from escalating to becoming World War lll. This decision prompted questions of the constitutionality of the dismissal of MacArthur.
Through the dismissal of General MacArthur, Truman’s political and military goals for the war were shown. Also, the general’s dismissal was declared constitutional.
On April 11th, 1951, MacArthur was fired by President Truman. He was replaced by General Matthew Ridgeway. Truman publicly defended his foreign policy of the Korean War. He expressed his vision of limited war and his fight to keep the Korean war from escalating to becoming World War lll. This decision prompted questions of the constitutionality of the dismissal of MacArthur.
Through the dismissal of General MacArthur, Truman’s political and military goals for the war were shown. Also, the general’s dismissal was declared constitutional.