Do you approve or disapprove of the way that Douglas MacArthur is handling his job as president?

  • Approve

    Votes: 199 72.6%
  • Disapprove

    Votes: 75 27.4%

  • Total voters
    274
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Though this could also trigger an earlier, messier response from China.

Patton must be careful, the invasion of NoKor will incite a massive retaliation from Red China.

On the other hand, if:
  • The Chinese respond in a more hasty and messy manner, and
  • Patton advances quicker than OTL
Then that could play to the UN's advantage. If they drive deep into North Korea, then get time to dig in before a coordinated Chinese attack gets to hit home, then they stand a chance of the final post-war border being considerably further North.
 
You might see the Soviet Union also respond. The Chinese are not prone to hasty judgements. I don't doubt that they will respond appropriately to the idea of having their Communist neighbour invaded and overthrown. I wonder though how Patton will react to the Chinese offensive...
 
You might see the Soviet Union also respond. The Chinese are not prone to hasty judgements. I don't doubt that they will respond appropriately to the idea of having their Communist neighbour invaded and overthrown. I wonder though how Patton will react to the Chinese offensive...

Like a child at christmas morning opening the gifts
 
Part II, Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16

In the windless, blinding stillness
Of the glittering tropic sea
I can see the bubbles rising
Where we set the captives free.

September 30, 1950


“I don’t know what else to tell you, General. I’m sorry.” Douglas MacArthur said. “The president’s word is final.”
The president’s word was also imbecilic, MacArthur thought. There was no danger whatsoever of Chinese intervention. Their demands to halt the offensive had come late, so clearly they weren’t the least bit prepared to send troops over the Yalu. Washington had no clue what was going on out here. If Pyongyang wasn’t enough, Patton could be at the Yalu in three weeks. Red China couldn’t possibly do anything in that time, and after that it would be too late. Instead, the teleprinter had read “PRESIDENT TRUMAN PERMITS NO CHANGES TO THE EXISTING ORDERS REGARDING THE USE OF AMERICAN TROOPS AT PRESENT”. President Truman was throwing away a certain victory.
“Sir, you do understand that without American support, the ROKs cannot be expected to maintain their existing standards.” General Coulter said. “And it is unrealistic to expect me to strip out all of the American junior officers as soon as we reach that rail line.”
“Naturally, I would not expect you to do any such thing.” MacArthur said. “The ROK units may continue north as they have been, it is only that Patton’s units will not follow.”
“Or charge ahead.” Coulter noted.
“Or charge ahead.” MacArthur agreed. Anything west of Kaesong was more or less Patton’s personal domain at this point. He had one ROK division under his command, and that only because the South Koreans needed to be given at least some of the prestige of taking Seoul and to make an appearance at Pyongyang. That division had been stuck in the rear hunting partisans since it had been unloaded at Inchon. And in the east, the ROKs had taken Wonsan yesterday. IX Corps entered it this morning. “I give you my solemn word that the ROKs will not be denied air or naval support when they march beyond our stop line, and that is a promise you may repeat to Mr Rhee.”
“I will, General, thank you.” Coulter said, before he turned to leave the room.
“One last thing.” MacArthur said. “Feel free to allow the ROKs to expand their reach further west. Just because George is being kept from going there, doesn’t mean we should leave it to the communists.”
George wasn’t going to like it, but there wasn’t much MacArthur could offer that he would like. One thing he could approve was Patton’s planned entrance into Pyongyang, written down a few days ago and now sitting on his desk. Washington had finally given him terms to offer to the North Korean government, which would be announced following the city’s capture. After reading Patton’s plan, he thought it more likely that the entrance would outshine any armistice. The photo of the landing at Leyte was burned into the popular mind whenever people thought of the war in the Philippines. The flag being raised on Iwo Jima was just as memorable. This proposal could become another moment like those.

***

October 2, 1950

As Patton sat in the turret of a Theodore tank, only one thought was running through his mind. He was damned glad to be out of that awful Haeju headquarters building. Sariwon had fallen, much more quickly than anyone had expected. The position there could have been formidable: the natural obstacles hadn’t been easy to cross. Yet the NKPA was disintegrating. The resistance they offered was brief, but they were quick to realise they could not hold the Chaeryong. Tens of thousands of men scattered, and ran north. Koch thought they had fled into Pyongyang: the bridges across the Taedong had been blown.

All but one.

That one had been a close run thing too. The Theodore had just crossed it, a few miles west of Kangdong. I Corps’ thrust had been successful. The North Koreans hadn’t been able to react quickly enough. A few cut wires not far from here had been the difference between a quick strike at Pyongyang and another bloody battle like had been fought at Seoul.
“Stop the tank.” Patton ordered. “I want to get out. Then you go forward.” The front was only half a mile away – you could still hear the small arms fire banging away.
As he clambered out of the tank, he waved for Sergeant Mims to halt the jeep behind it. General Gay was with him.
“How much do you reckon we beat them by, Hap?” Patton asked.
“Minutes.” Gay said. “The demolition charges are all there. Had they found out our plan any sooner they could have blown it. I’m told there’s half a division up the road?”
“Can’t be that many.” Patton decided. “Fire’s too quiet. As long as this bridge doesn’t fall in the river like Remagen did, we should be in Pyongyang by nightfall. Hoge has got the X Corps to the river line to the south. You and the British hit the city from the north. Shouldn’t take long to clear the city. There’s nothing left in there. Got to be more communist partisans behind us than there are army units in front.”
“And then what?” Gay asked.
“I fly in to Pyongyang.” Patton said.
“Fly? We don't have control of the airfield yet.” Gay reminded him.
“You’ll see.” Patton said. “If taking Pyongyang doesn’t win the war, the ROKs are supposed to finish the job for us, while we sit in a giant trench across the 39½ line, near enough, seal off the routes through the hills. Partisans won’t cross, and the ones in the south will die eventually. A hell of an end to the war, isn’t it?”
“You don’t think the Chinese will enter?” Gay asked.
“Koch thinks they could, MacArthur says they won’t.” Patton said. “This ‘dig a trench’ stuff is a bunch of crap. We will get ready for the next offensive. China comes in, I attack. There’s no need to hold back from provoking them at that point. China doesn’t come in, then the war’s over. Everyone goes home, and this dump becomes one country again. Retiring again…” he shook his head. That had been awful once. Even sitting in a muddy trench across the neck of Korea for the next three years would be better than going through that again.

***

October 4, 1950

Sergeant William George Meeks stood outside some old North Korean government building or other. He wasn’t sure of its name. Patton hadn’t told him, and didn’t seem to care what building it was himself. It was big, not too damaged, and had a large open field in front of it. Late yesterday afternoon, the general had driven into the city unannounced, decided the place was a good one for his official entrance into Pyongyang, and ordered Meeks to oversee the setting up of cameras, parades, and the rest of the show. A rather large area of the open field was to be kept open, but otherwise George hadn’t told him anything more than he absolutely had to. Whatever he was planning, he wanted it to be big and he wanted it to be a surprise.
Why not? Unless something very unexpected happened, Pyongyang was likely to be George’s last big conquest, at least for this lifetime. It was worthy of a celebration.
Everything, and everyone, was in place a few minutes before 1100, when the ceremonies were supposed to start. Meeks checked his watch countless times, as 1100 came and passed. Patton was a stickler for doing things by the clock, even ahead of it. His being late was unthinkable. Whoever screwed this up would be lucky if they only got yelled at.
Finally, at (he checked his watch again) 1109, he heard an unfamiliar sound coming from the south:

chopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchop

And… now he had lost 20 bucks to John Mims. Those weren’t the sounds of a column of tanks rumbling into Pyongyang. Somehow, Patton had gotten hold of a helicopter. There were only a handful of them in Korea. It was the last thing he expected to see out here.
As the impressive vehicle landed in the middle of the field, out stepped first MacArthur and then Patton right behind him. For a good few minutes, they appeared more interested in the cameras, which were undoubtedly turning this grand entrance into pictures for tomorrow’s front pages. It wasn’t every day that you took the enemy’s capital after all. Then they walked over to the makeshift podium, lined with microphones, and MacArthur gave a speech that was undoubtedly the real reason for their arrival in Pyongyang.
“On behalf of the forces of the United Nations, I now officially declare that the liberation of Pyongyang is complete. All across this country, unfortunately divided at the end of the last war, the armies of communist aggression have been thwarted. Now, I say, the hour of reunification is at hand…” MacArthur’s speech continued on for some time, eventually calling for the North Korean government to lay down its arms and surrender.
Then MacArthur stepped back, and Patton took his place.

“Men, I want all of you, wherever you are, to know how much of an honour it has been to lead you into battle throughout the last eighty days. Few generals have been offered the opportunity to return to the service after retirement, and even fewer have been successful after they have done so. Napoleon failed. Hindenburg failed. Instead of failing, we have triumphed.
“The reason we have triumphed is because of the fighting spirit of the great men who make up the Eighth Army. Every one among you, be you a private, a corporal, a major, it is your bravery, your determination, your courage that has played a vital part in getting this army to where it is today. In forty years of service, this is the first time I have stood in the capital city of a defeated aggressor. For that I say thank you. This victory is your victory.”
The rest of the speech, Meeks thought, was a disappointment. George was trying to celebrate the victory while also warning of the need to remain vigilant against potential future enemies, which could only mean Red China or the Soviets even though he made sure not to mention either by name. Meeks wasn’t sure he really succeeded in either. More than anything, George looked older and sadder than he ever had. He had worked like a mule ever since he came to Asia, and it looked to be taking its toll.
One of the fellows from the intelligence staff happened to be standing next to him, and whispered a grim assessment of the speech. “This war is going to kill him.”

END OF PART II

- BNC
 
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It won't. I've got a better idea for that part of the war :)


Why do you think Patton would order something like that?


x'D

- BNC
I brought up Chipyong-Ni because when I was in South Korea from 1986-1987, my unit was the 2nd Engr Bn of the 2nd ID. During Team Spirit 86, we toured the battlefield and I stood upon the very spot where A Company 1/23 Infantry had their TOC. Chilling, it was...
 

ShySusan

Gone Fishin'
I think for a really cinematic ending, they should end at about the same time - Patton hears the news of victory while lying on death bed, smiles, probably says something smug and obscene, then dies.
Cue closing credits :)
I honestly can not think of a better ending for Patton
 
So the goal for the USA right now is full reunification? Not reducing North Korea to a rump state? Well in that case China will definitely fight long and hard to prevent that.

I wonder how the ROK army will fare advancing without UN ground forces. The NKPA has been given the works but they have space still to retreat, mountain terrain and a lot of the enemy they have been fighting will be pulling punches.

I wonder if we will still end up with the long stalemate of OTL?
 
Patton dies on the last day of the war charging a sniper position that has everyone else taking cover.

Or gets kicked by a vengeful mule....
 
What will end first, this war or Patton?
There's a few clues in the poem. You just have to look hard enough :)

Cue closing credits :)
Does this mean there's no interest in a post-Patton world? Because I have an interesting idea of where to take this after chapter 24 if there's interest in it (no promises though!)

So the goal for the USA right now is full reunification? Not reducing North Korea to a rump state?
That's correct. And yeah, China's not going to be too happy about it...

Or gets kicked by a vengeful mule....
x'D Absolutely LOVE this! That's not the ending I'll be using for Patton, only because I've had something else in mind for a while, but it would certainly be a fitting way to go out!

- BNC
 
Does this mean there's no interest in a post-Patton world? Because I have an interesting idea of where to take this after chapter 24 if there's interest in it (no promises though!)


- BNC
I would absolutely love this timeline to continue post war. Maybe MacArthur could become president or something lol
 
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