(Pres. Truman and Gen. Douglas MacArthur - if looks could kill)
With the latest news on the very public skirmish between President Obama and Gen. McChrystal over the War in Afghanistan I was reminded of another President/General showdown in history - the one between President Truman and General Douglas MacArthur and the handling of the Korean War in 1951. My colleague Digby has written a great piece on this episode already, so I thought it would be good to provide the historic recording as a way of giving background to a not-so-uncommon occurrence in our history these last seventy years.
Pres. Truman: “A number of events have made it evident that General MacArthur did not agree with that policy. I have therefore considered it essential to relieve General MacArthur so there would be no doubt or confusion as to the real purpose and aim of our policy. It was with the deepest personal regret that I found myself compelled to take this action. General MacArthur is one of our greatest military commanders. But the cause of world peace is much more important than any individual.”
History often repeats.
