Back in the early 1980s, I heard that MacArthur, and his Japanese counterpart,
both believed in bushido. MacArthur, according to the NBC News special on the
Bataan Death March, wasn't going to be taken alive.
Of course he wasn't going to be taken alive. He was going to tuck his tail between his legs and run out on his men. He would then, for his personal glory, piss away a surprising number of his troops lives so he "could return".
While I have enormous issues with the way that Bushido was interpreted by the IJA, especially regarding the treatment of PoWs and civilians, it was a Code of Behavior that required serious personal bravery and sacrifice (two traits that were remarkably absent in Douglas MacArthur). Killing yourself to avoid being a prisoner is quite different that killing yourself because you have failed in your duty. If MacArthur had believed in Bushido he would have shot himself as soon as he arrived in Australia (if not while still on The Rock) as payment for his failure in his duty as an officer.
As far as MacArthur's relationship with Admiral Hart; EVERY subordinate officer under MacArthur's command was subject to demeaning orders, belittling comments, and random acts of stupidity from the man. That all of them didn't hate the man is what is actually noteworthy. In the 'Nam, he would have, as likely as not, been fragged.