Leaders from the United States
Harry Truman
Harry Truman was the president of the U.S. and was in office during many prominent foreign policy events and decisions in recent U.S. history.
"Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don't ever apologize for anything." |
"President Harry S. Truman quickly committed American forces to a combined United Nations military effort and named Gen. Douglas MacArthur Commander of the U.N. forces. Fifteen other nations also sent troops under the U.N. command. Truman did not seek a formal declaration of war from Congress; officially, America's presence in Korea amounted to no more than a 'police action.'" |
"'[W]hen North Korean troops invaded the South, the Truman administration seized upon the opportunity to defend a noncommunist government from invasion by communist troops. Determined not to "lose" another country to communism, and interested in shoring up its anticommunist credentials, the Truman administration found itself defending a nation a world away from U.S. soil." |
"In Korea the Government forces, which were armed to prevent border raids and to preserve internal security, were attacked by invading forces from North Korea. The Security Council of the United Nations called upon the invading troops to cease hostilities and to withdraw to the 38th parallel. This they have not done, but on the contrary have pressed the attack. The Security Council called upon all members of the United Nations to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution. In these circumstances I have ordered United States air and sea forces to give the Korean Government troops cover and support.
The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war. It has defied the orders of the Security Council of the United Nations issued to preserve international peace and security."
-Harry S. Truman after the invasion of South Korea
Douglas MacArthur
"You couldn't shrug your shoulders at Douglas MacArthur. There was nothing bland about him, nothing passive about him, nothing dull about him. There's no question about his patriotism, there's no question about his courage, and there's no question, it seems to me, about his importance as one of the protagonists of the 20th century." |
Douglas MacArthur was fiercely determined to win.
"War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. In war there is no substitute for victory." "[MacArthur] was a prima donna and there was only one way – MacArthur’s way. And I can understand why the President replaced him. But he was a brilliant military man." |
MacArthur was a hero of World War II. However, he was fired during the Korean War because of some questionable strategies.
"When MacArthur wanted to drive the Chinese out, to cross over the Yellow River, at that time, even before the Chinese crossed and started down, they were flying their jets out of China ... and MacArthur felt like, if you’re flying out of a base somewhere, no matter where it is, I have a right to go in and try to destroy your base" "I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the president. That's the answer to that. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail." |