Historic Voices Podcast: Global History And Culture

In this podcast episode, we feature a speech by General Douglass MacArthur to Congress and the American people. The date was April 19, 1951. The dramatic timing of the speech was that President Harry Truman had relieved General MacArthur of military command of the United Nations forces during the Korean War the previous week. MacArthur explained in the speech his concerns about the Chinese and a retrospective of a lifetime of service to the nation as a member of the military. This seemed to me an appropriate speech to post of Memorial Day as we remember the sacrifices made by the U.S. military on behalf of the nation There are many comparisons and contrasts between two of America’s greatest generals: George Patton and Douglass MacArthur. Those were extraordinary military commanders who are credited with helping to end World War Two more quickly. Both were deeply devoted to the defense of America and its people. And both were frustrated with political leaders who they perceived as stopping a war prematurely be