Blood, Sweat, and Fire
(1948-2017: Sixty-Nine Years that Changed the World)
Part One, Chapter Six:
High Flying, Adored
“...And so it had begun. General MacArthur was now President MacArthur. While jubilation was high for MacArthur at the beginning of his Presidency, he would go on to face much in the way of struggle and adversity, in the years to come. War, internal strife, fear-mongering, and paranoia would greatly challenge President MacArthur for the next four years. Whether or not he handled these matters well is a subject of debate amongst many MacArthur Scholars, but one thing is clear: his term as the 34th President of the United States of America would help define the latter half of the 20th Century, for better or for worse...”
Roger Lunge, author of, President MacArthur: The Man, The Myth, The Legend (circa 1984)
“...I, for one, have high hopes for President MacArthur. At the very least, he'll be tough on Communism...”
A quote attributed to actor Ronald Reagan
“I, Douglas MacArthur, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will do my best of my Ability to Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.”
On January 20th, 1949, Douglas MacArthur was sworn in before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, and became the 34th President of the United States of America. Once officially in Office, President MacArthur went about making his own unique mark on history. In regards to his Cabinet, President MacArthur's nominees all passed brief inspection by the Republican controlled Congress, and were sworn in soon thereafter.
For his Secretary of State, President MacArthur decided to choose
Harold Stassen, former Governor of Minnesota, and a former contender for the Presidency just a year earlier. It was a choice approved by nearly all, and one Stassen himself was most pleased with. Stassen was instrumental in seeing MacArthur win the GOP Nomination, and was now being rewarded for his actions.
For his Secretary of the Treasury, President MacArthur nominated
Robert B. Anderson, a capable young businessman and administrator. Anderson had been an avid campaigner for MacArthur in Texas, during the General Election. While that had ultimately proved futile, President MacArthur was impressed enough to reward Mister Anderson for his service.
For his Attorney General, President MacArthur made a more controversial choice and nominated
Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. While McCarthy was new to the Senate, and thus far had relatively little experience, he had been a successful attorney. Not to mention he had campaigned for President MacArthur quite vigorously in the Wisconsin Primaries nearly a year ago, and Mac had decided to pay him a favor, much like he had by making Philip La Follette the Assistant to the President (which would later be renamed as White House Chief of Staff in 1961). Due to his likable nature and the fact he wasn't (yet) all that controversial, McCarthy passed through Congress quite easily.
And for his Secretary of Defense, President MacArthur nominated a former colleague:
General George S. Patton. General Patton, like former Generals MacArthur and Eisenhower, was one of the popular generals of the American side of World War Two, and thus far has been the most popular addition to President MacArthur's Cabinet. Like the men before him, General Patton sped through his confirmation hearings into his office.
There were more appointments, of course, for the MacArthur Cabinet. But these four nominations were the most prominent and most important for the new President.
The rest of the first month of Mac's term as President passed by in a flash. As one of his first acts as President, MacArthur announced that (with the approval of the South Korean government) the reduction of troops in South Korea would stop, and that a permanent base would be established there. President MacArthur, in a speech to Congress, proclaimed that,
“Asia is the future battleground for the War against Communism. It is an area of the world most susceptible to the Red Menace, and it is there where we should go about setting our soldiers. Short of war, Stalin cannot expand his influence further within Western Europe. However, with his ally Mao and the Chinese Communists, they can overtake Asia if we don't take preventative measures.”
Not long after this, it seemed that President MacArthur's prediction was coming true, as Communist forces marched into Beijing. It was another troubling development that made clear more and more that the KMT was losing the Chinese Civil War against Mao and his Commie soldiers.
China being lost to Mao was a worrying thought for President MacArthur, as a Communist China would no doubt become a powerhouse in Asia, and would threaten their interests in Japan and South Korea. If this was to be prevented, the KMT would need help, and soon...