MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War - The General vs. the President

I’ve read several histories of the Korean War along with many accounts of the Pacific Theater of World War II and David McCollough’s magnificent biography of Harry Truman. Each of these works dealt tangentially with the primary subject matter of this nice, narrowly focused book, namely the conflict between President Truman and the most highly decorated and beloved (with the exception of George Washington, and possibly U. S. Grant) military figure in American history, Douglas MacArthur.

All of that to say, this is not a history of the Korean War or a detailed biography of either Truman or MacArthur. While it certainly contains aspects of each of those things, there are many, more detailed works if that is what you are looking for. The author of this book provides a very balanced treatment of the issues which created the numerous clashes and near crises which developed as a result.

As I said, I’ve read numerous works on this and other Cold War conflicts of the era. I must say, however, that until reading this book, I was unaware of the knife’s edge that Truman and his foreign policy team had to straddle in the face of a potentially atomic World War III; this in the face of a rogue General whose very actions worked at cross purposes to that of the civilian American leadership. MacArthur’s primary goal was to win the Korean War, at all costs; Truman’s was to avoid an exchange of nuclear missiles or a Soviet invasion of Western Europe, a real threat at the time.

Again, this is a very narrowly focused book, with just enough historical detail to tell the story for which it was written. Prior to reading this book, I would read others on the Korean War (Halberstam’s The Coldest Winter is excellent) and McCollugh’s Truman biography, in order to provide a historical basis from which to better appreciate this work.

A war between a new President and an older General. A get things done President and a General who seems to have felt he was much more capable of doing what he felt was needed in Asia. Interesting, intriguing and history as it should be written about

This book provided interesting information on the background for the recall of McArthur. Very insightful regarding the politics of this country during the early post WWII years. This was a difficult time for the United States in many ways politically.

So much is written about Harry Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan but very little on his decision to fire one of the most celebrated generals in US history. This book gives us a great insight into the Korean War and the problems between Truman and MacArthur. I highly recommend this book.

A really good historical perspective. As a fan of Truman, I found the work redeeming. Brands tends favor Truman more than MacArthur, but I think that's the story of history. Brands does a good job of weaving the research and narrative structure together to create a compelling historical read.

This is an excellent and easily readable narrative of one of the overriding events of the Korean War. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to learn more about the "Forgotten War" and the early 1950's American mindset regarding the spread of Communism.

I found the book very informative, and well written. The reconstruction of Japan, and shift in the governance was most enjoyed. I was in middle school at this time, so this amount of detail really broadened my understanding.

The book is written in such a way as to give the reader a fly on the wall view of numerous meetings between The Presidents and MacArthur. While I found this to be interesting, at times I became bored. However, all in all a fine book.

Great historical read about the Korean War and the friction between President Truman and General MacArthur. Since I was a very young child at the time of the war, I have learned much from this book. If you are interested in history, this is a must read.

Excellent historical perspective on a most chilling chapter in America military history. The Author has summed up, most impeccably, how the conflict between these two heroes of their generation, formed America's far east political viewpoint for decades to come.

I was born in 1949 and as a child in the 1950's, had no idea what was going on in the world as I grew. This book provided an amazing backdrop to that time for me. It also is a superbly written and highly readable.

As always, Brands creates an easy yet in-depth read that allows the reader to make their opinions. There's a reason I took his class three times at UT-Austin and continue to read every book he authors.

Prof. Brands gives our American Caesar his due as an unrivaled brilliant military tactician, political intriguer on par with Nixon and (paraphrasing Dean Acheson) with an ego possibly matched only by Generals' Montgomery and Patton.
Truman continues to be recognized by contemporary historians as a highly underrated American President.
This extremely complicated period that could have changed the world--if not left it incinerated---is brilliantly dissected and told compellingly.
The book now rests appropriately on a shelf with those of Michael Beschloss, Robert K. Harris, Robert A. Caro and Barbara Tuchman.

An extremely entertaining and well researched work. Serious Cold War historians might characterize the book as layman's history, but for just about anyone else interested in the topic I would highly recommend it.

This is an excellent read if you are like me and nearly obsessed with the infamous struggle between these two monumental figures. I have read other books on this conflict, but this one is unique in my view because it shows both the brilliance of the general as well as his growing foolhardiness. Of particular interest to me was the way the author shed light on the unavoidable truth that the longer a figure remains in power the less he or she deserves it, especially when the subject is something of a megalomaniac to begin with.

This well researched book documented the events leading up to the Korean war, the overwhelming initial advantage of the north's invasion, the turn around brought about by the Inchon invasion, and the entry of the Chinese. To avoid WW 3, Truman ordered restrictions which MacArthur ignored, and drove beyond the 38th parallel all the way to the Yalu river on the border of Manchuria China,'s entry, with Russian support, posed a new problem best solved by diplomats to avoid a greater war. When you read the general*s plan, you will know why Truman had to replace him. Having severed in this conflict, I was particularly interested on all the details. I highly recommend it,

If you want to understand how a brilliant military man can step out of his professional role and become a dangerous politician, read this book.
It will help you to understand how today less than brilliant military officers are donning political costumes in order to stay in the limelight after retirement and curry the favor of a less than brilliant businessman who joins the Generals in becoming a dilettante politician.

Product received was a Bound Galley edition noted with a Not for Sale sticker on the cover...Book has pages of notes at the end, but no corresponding numbers to where they appear in the text, hence are useless...

This book should never have been sold!!

a very superb analysis of a troubled relationship. brands was forthright and objective in his approach. this is a classic piece of history and this country was on the brink of a nucleur war thanks to the decision of harry truman.

This was obviously a well written, thoroughly researched book. The author certainly presented each side's story without too much bias. I did, however, get the impression that a more favorable picture was given to Harry Truman. Obviously these two characters had a strong opinion as to how Korea would play out. The only thing MacArthur forgot was that his Commander-in-Chief had the final say. Were they alive today, they would shocked. Since the cover of the book "advertised", "MacArthur and Truman at the brink of nuclear war", I had difficulty agreeing with same. There was never a moment on these pages where I believed we were about to get into nuclear war. Unless, some of my pages were missing in this book. Gen. MacArthur never advocated this or go to the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ask for such permission. And of course Truman was totally against such a move telling the press that "the commanders in the field had this authority" However, MacArthur did suggest this action, well after he was relieved from that theater in a document to then President Elect Eisenhower. But cooler heads prevailed and nothing much was done with this suggestion. Judge for yourself, in my book Gen. MacArthur is still the hero.

A long time fan of Truman, I was excited to be offered this book from the store Vine. After finishing the book, I did enjoy the story but felt like it didn't really cover much new information,

This book is a journey through the complicated relationship between Truman and General Douglas MacArthur. Truman, plain speaking and honest, naturally would have butted heads against the ego and swagger of the general in the field. Brands starts off the story with Truman assuming his presidency after the death of FDR, and MacArthur in the field, commanding the surrender of Japan. You can see the two coming to loggerheads as Truman gains his feet under his presidency and MacArthur stretches his independence a little too much.

Because details of the relationship between the two men have been covered in other books, Brands takes time to flesh out the world events that surrounded these two men, especially in its deep dive of the "police action" in Korea. Sometimes while reading, I felt like that I was reading some filler or extraneous parts just to make the book longer, even if they are directed connected to the story at large he was telling. Fortunately, I didn't always feel like that.

I imagine this would be a great book for dads, or any history buff who enjoys good war stories, and stories from that time.

This is a really interesting book that adds a lot to the well-known story of Truman's firing of MacArthur. I have read several books by Brands (most recently his biography of Reagan) and always find he very skillfully combines the personalities of his subjects with the events around them. Here of course we have the Korean War, and a general who had little respect for his civilian bosses (Roosevelt and Truman both) whose behavior approached if not crossed into insubordination. Truman made what was the unpopular (at the time) decision to very forcefully fire MacArthur, all with support of military brass.

Brands really does tell a good linear narrative that is easy to read and has lots of detail; in a good sense, his books read like novels. There is not a lot of reflection in his writing or effort to link actions to larger issues of policy or historical trend (e.g., civilian rule over the military over time). Mostly this book moves through a series of chapters that respectively sketch their careers, describe events in Japan, Korea, and Washington to the point MacArthur was fired, with the subsequent public and Congressional investigations, The books very briefly (in a few pages) describes the aftermath, with MacArthur's reputation fading and Truman's rising over time.

This is an excellent and readable book of two interesting personalities clashing over key part of American system - civilian control of the military.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and Doubleday, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would write a review and post it on Net Galley, Goodreads, the store and my blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book because I am interested in American History and the Presidents in particular. I also have read several of H. W. Brands books and found them all to be enjoyable.

This book did not disappoint. Like several others of the author that I have read this one was well written and researched. Brands writing style makes history read more like a novel than a dry dissertation of the facts.

The author does a good job of relaying the background for both principal characters that led to the confrontation during the Korean War. On one side is the intelligent, egotistical, self-centered general versus the no nonsense, political president who were tied up in a long distance exchange over what was the best direction to take during the Korean War. They did meet once briefly with Truman flying a significant distance to get a report from a general that was out of touch with what was occurring at the time. Fortunately for both parties, Eisenhower became President and was able to resolve the conflict in Korea.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in either of the main characters or the Korean War.

Brands is a first-rate historian who can write best selling historical narratives. Here, he gathers all the research and elegantly retells the story of how MacArthur got himself fired by Truman. MacArthur's overreaching of his authority as field commander in an attempt to dictate policy to the Commander in Chief is a familiar story. But Brands adds a great deal of color and subtlety to the story.

First, he shows that MacArthur may well have wanted to be fired, in a desperate last gasp attempt to run for high office. I'm not entirely convinced of this. I tend to think that MacArthur could not abide the disaster of the Chinese invasion he provoked, and needed a way out by casting blame on cowardly politicians who would not give him the escalated conflict and tools he needed to "win" the war.

Second, Brands completely eviscerates the substance of MacArthur's policy positions. It wasn't so much that MacArthur was insubordinate. More important was the complete idiocy of his substantive strategic policies.

Few will be able to respect MacArthur after this masterly dissection of the man.

In The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War, historian H. W. Brands tells the fascinating story of the conflict between President Harry Truman and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur which led to MacArthur's controversial removal as commander of American and United Nations forces in Korea during the Korean conflict. It was not only a conflict between two strong-willed leaders, but a classic struggle between the democratically elected civilian leader of a nation and a popular and powerful military general, as well as a struggle over who would control ultimate decision making and ultimate power regarding the nation's military and foreign policy. But as Brands points out, it was even much more than this. It was a struggle over whether or not the United States would embark on a course of action that may well have led to the third world war and the first in which both sides had nuclear capability.

In 1945 General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender of Japan at the end of the second world war and took up residence in Tokyo as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in the Southwest Pacific and the new de facto sovereign in Japan. He adopted a benevolent style as commander of the occupying force and was viewed as the most knowledgeable military man when it came to the subject of southeast Asia. In 1950, when communist forces from North Korea invaded the south, MacArthur was the logical and obvious choice of commander for the United Nations forces which were tasked with assisting the South Koreans in repelling the invasion, one in which they unable to defend themselves. At first MacArthur displayed military brilliance by repelling the invaders with a surprise assault at Inchon. MacArthur boldly promised an end to the war by the next Christmas. But when UN forces were routed in an attack aided by Chinese troops, MacArthur performance as commander was criticized firstly for a lack of intelligence about the presence of the Chinese, and secondly by his previous assurances to the Truman administration that the possibility of Chinese or Soviet intervention in the war was highly unlikely.

Brands tells the story of how MacArthur's disagreement with the Truman administration, his insubordination and his public criticism of his commander-in-chief and other superiors led to the loss of his command. At the heart of this conflict was Truman's concern that MacArthur's actions would escalate the situation into one which would invite China and the Soviet Union into a much larger conflict, one that would also put European nations at risk because of the need to concentrate allied forces in Korea. Conversely, MacArthur believed that a greater show of force was called for in Korea, including an attack on China, and even the use of nuclear weapons if called for.

Brands ably describes both the military maneuvers as well as the political machinations, including MacArthur's return to America, the highly charged congressional hearings over MacArthur's dismissal that captivated public interest, and MacArthur's attempts to advance his own political fortunes, while still wearing the uniform of his country. An especially fascinating aspect of this story is those portions of the testimony before the Congressional committee about the risks that MacArthur caused for his nation, and how, while not made public at the time, they nevertheless torpedoed the general's aspirations to become president.

H. W. Brands once again demonstrates his skill and ability as an outstanding historian and author in clearly explaining all of the important details and nuances of this fascinating chapter in American political and military history. He also ably makes the case for why this was such an important chapter in the nation's history and how the facts in this story assist in the rehabilitation of Truman's legacy. Most importantly, he explains how more timid or deferential action on Truman's part may have led to nuclear catastrophe. This is an interesting book for the story it tells. It is an enjoyable book for the author's talent as a story-teller. It is an important book for the lesson it imparts.

H.W. Brands The General vs. The President tells a story of an episode in history where the entire country was united behind one of the players in a political duel, yet history now looks back at the event quite differently. Several years after the fact, most could admit that they were mostly incorrect in their choice of who was right and who was wrong.

In one corner was General of the Army Douglas MacArthur – hero of World War II and magnanimous conqueror of Japan. Arrogant, cocky, and walked with a swagger with his ubiquitous sunglasses and corn-cob pipe. In the other corner – the 34th President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. Considered an “accident” by many. This meek, mild-mannered former hat shop manager was nominated as Roosevelt’s Vice President 5 weeks before death finally claimed FDR’s life. Truman and MacArthur were quite the odd couple.

Unfortunately, even after the worst war in human history had finally concluded months after Truman was sworn in, the world was far from a peaceful place. It was bad enough with Stalin and Communist Russia making unpleasant waves throughout the East. By 1948, Mao-Tse Tung and the Red Chinese also took over the fledgling Nationalists headed by Chiang Kai-shek. What does the leader of the free world do? Well, MacArthur has a lot of ideas. Many good, most loved, but calmer heads such as Truman’s must prevail in many instances – despite what the country in a patriotic fervor might think. When Red China’s communist neighbor North Korea invades its counterpart in the south, some sort of action is required.

So we see and hear the bickering go back and forth between the Truman and MacArthur. Most of it is done behind each other’s back, but the desire of each seems to be that the adversary eventually gets the message. It doesn’t help when the General repeatedly makes his views quite obvious with the press with no concern of his boss’s toes being stepped on during the process. After Red China enters the Korean “Police Action” (after MacArthur assured his Commander and Chief that such a thing would never happen), Truman is left with no other option other than to fire MacArthur. The headlines then roared.

So MacArthur returns home to a widely appreciative country. Crowds gather, tickertape parades are thrown, and women swoon and faint at the sight of the 70-year-old hero. The masses would much rather have the General as their President than their bi-spectacled docile leader, and MacArthur drops many hints at such a goal for 1952.

The mood starts to slowly change during the Senate hearings of the general. There are a few in the halls of congress that refused to get sucked up by the burst of jingoism, and after many days in the “hot seat”, the masses finally have time to digest. Unbeknownst to many in the public, the godlike MacArthur had in fact committed many gaffes during the Korean theater, and the fervor that has enraptured the nation slowly fades away. Just like old soldiers that never die.

This book was a very concise read. I’ve read about the events in pretty through detail in William Manchester’s “American Caesar” (about MacArthur) and David McCullough’s “Truman”, yet Brands does an excellent job educating the novice. I’m not sure of his actual purpose for focusing on such an event in history that has already been well documented. It could be that he felt a book was necessary that shows us how blind we can be when caught up with patriotic zeal. Such lessons are important. There are many that say that politics has gotten worse in last few decades. I’m not entirely sure I would agree with that sentiment. The difference, I believe, is instant access to newswires via the internet and social media that seem to spread such information at an accelerated pace. Brands shows us (as he has in many of his books about famous people) that partisan politics and bickering has always existed – you just never found out about what someone said until the next day’s papers.

This book is a great tale of how one can look back on history with much clearer vision and understanding than one might be able to do when we are in the thick of the events. MacArthur is still looked at fondly by most, yet most historians now agree that Truman wasn’t really such a bad guy, nor a bad president, after all.

Many biographies have been written about both Harry Truman and Douglas MacArthur, and a number of books have also focused on the escalating battle between a president and his general during the Korean War. What’s appealing about this one is that it’s both authoritative (the author is a respected historian) and accessible to the general reader.

For those less familiar with this period, THE GENERAL VS. THE PRESIDENT provides a welcome bridge between the familiar narratives of World War II and those leading into the Vietnam War. MacArthur --- in FDR’s words, “the most dangerous man in America,” and in Truman’s more ironic ones, “God’s right hand man” --- was in many ways a stand-in for an alternate vision of America, where the country needed no allies to overcome all enemies, and a strong military ran its strategy and even its diplomacy.

Beginning in 1945 with FDR’s death and the end of WWII, Brands describes MacArthur’s and Truman’s respective rises to power. For the few years when the former was directing the occupation of Japan and the latter was finding his way as an unelected president, their relationship was cordial (even though MacArthur allowed himself to be drafted as a candidate in the 1948 elections). But the Korean War changed all that. How MacArthur used his initial successes to argue for an expanded war that would pit the U.S. against China --- and then refused to take the blame when his battlefield strategy failed and his disagreements with the administration became public --- makes for riveting reading. Why Truman decided that MacArthur had to be relieved of his command, and how he orchestrated it, is outlined in vivid detail. The period between the onset of war in October 1950 and MacArthur’s recall in April 1951 was fraught with potential escalation of hostilities on all sides.

When he was in his element --- on the battlefield --- the country revered MacArthur. When Truman brought him back from Korea, the president risked his political capital. But both his party and, more importantly, the Joint Chiefs supported him, and the ensuing Congressional hearings exonerated him. In the end, that solidarity went a long way toward diminishing MacArthur’s legacy. Though he would have liked to have run again for president, his time had passed and Eisenhower easily won the nomination.

H. W. Brands has written many books on notable Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries, including a biography on FDR, TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS. He makes this corner of history --- and its principals --- come alive in a way that helps the reader understand how, regardless of their rank, decisions are made, and flouted, by very human people.

Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley

General Douglas MacArthur, both brilliant and flawed, was in 1950 one of America’s most admired figures. President Harry Truman, in contrast, probably had more critics than admirers and in any event was regarded as an “accidental president”.

Both have been the subject of well-regarded biographies, but author H.W. Brands wisely chooses to undertake a focused examination of the conflict arising between both men as war broke out in Korea. This was a confrontation that tested the executive powers of the President over the military under the Constitution and assumed historic importance because it occurred under circumstances in which nuclear weapons might be employed.

MacArthur had a strong sense of infallibility and a reputation for ignoring a president or his nominal military superiors in the chain of command. In 1932, he exceeded the instructions of President Hebert Hoover in clearing the Bonus Army of World War I veterans from Washington. During the war in the Pacific he was often right (not always) and never in doubt. For five years he acted independently, and by all accounts successfully, in restructuring Japanese society during American occupation following Japan’s surrender in 1945.

The general held the Joint Chiefs of Staff in no higher regard than his president. Brands provides an enlightening account of the Joint Chiefs’ opposition to MacArthur’s plan to trap much of the North Korean army by landing at Inchon. The operation was risky but successful and it undoubtedly reinforced MacArthur’s view of his own infallible judgement and his contempt for his nominal military superiors in the chain of command.

MacArthur then became determined to occupy the entire Korean peninsula, rather than stopping at the former demarkation line of the 38th parallel. Truman must take some of the blame for being vague about the territory to be occupied, although neither the President nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff wanted to provoke China or the Soviet Union into entering the battlefield. For his part, MacArthur ignored the warning signs of impending Chinese involvement and the US was similarly tone deaf at a diplomatic level.

As US forces approached the Yalu River marking the northern border of Korea, they suddenly were confronted by hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops and were forced to retreat. MacArthur’s response was a series of extreme proposals to take the war to China, to employ in Korea Nationalist Chinese troops from Formosa, to lay a field of radioactive waste in North Korea as US troops retreated, and potentially to use nuclear weapons more generally.

Brands chronicles MacArthur’s hubris and increasingly contemptuous treatment of both the Joint Chiefs and the President as his Korean strategy faltered under the pressure of Chinese involvement. From the beginning of the war, he was unresponsive to Washington, playing his cards close to his vest. As the war turned against him, he went over the head of the President to advocate lifting of any restraints on his actions, appealing to public opinion through the press and communicating directly with Truman’s Republican opponents in Congress.

Truman finally felt compelled to fire MacArthur, an action he had contemplated on a number of previous occasions.

MacArthur was greeted with wild enthusiasm when he returned to the US. He seemed likely to be the Republican nominee for president in 1952.

Closed Congressional hearings on Korea provided a platform from which MacArthur could launch a successful campaign. But Brands reveals that redacted transcripts from those hearings, only recently available to historians, undercut MacArthur’s testimony and his support even among those Republicans who heard his full testimony and that of other military experts.

The General was shown to be parochial and misguided about the larger strategic implications of his desire to carry war to the Chinese and Russians. MacArthur complained that he was restricted from carrying out all-out war against the Chinese, but behind closed doors it was revealed that the Chinese and their Soviet ally were themselves conducting a limited war, not employing submarines or air forces that could have interdicted US supply of troops in Korea.

The US did not have the resources to fight a full-scale land war with China in Asia and simultaneously one in Europe if the superior numbers of Soviet troops decided to invade Western Europe. By not considering the global implications of his Korean recommendations, MacArthur could have pulled the US into a disastrous nuclear conflict or larger wars the US could not win.

Finally, when MacArthur addressed the Republican convention in 1951 he showed that all his years away from the US had left him out of touch with delegates and voters. Eisenhower easily captured the nomination and went on to become President.

Brands writes clearly and by examining the confrontation between Truman and MacArthur sheds light on the debate over the use of nuclear weapons in the immediate post-World War II period as well as dramatizing a general’s challenge to presidential authority. Fortunately, civilian control and judgement prevailed over a brilliant but flawed military hero.

Review of Brands’ "The general vs. the president" by Paul F. Ross

Brands’ history (2016) examines the Korean conflict from the perspective of the U.S. involvement, detailing the leadership roles of General Douglas MacArthur and President Harry Truman. President Dwight Eisenhower appears on stage in the closing pages. The period covered is November, 1950 to December, 1952. Brands presents history by treating speeches and documents as ‘waypoints’ in the dialogue of time. Readers expect historians to have “sources” which very often are documents. The
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Brands, H. W. The general vs. the president: MacArthur and Truman at the brink of nuclear way 2016, Doubleday, New York NY, x + 438 pages
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history of the Korean War at policy-making levels is no longer available by way of interviews, so it is no surprise that Brands’ history is assembled from documents. Having a string of documents – as contrasted with a string of stories, a string of events – become the narrated history is new to this reader. Brands is a talented writer and story teller. The account is reader-holding. He fills the spaces between speeches and press releases with interesting stories about what is happening “in the field” in Korea and, to a lesser extent, what is happening “in the field” at home in the U.S. But this history is a cruise from document to document, waypoint to waypoint. How else would a navigator tell a story?

The story is well written. In addition, it is fascinating as one watches fallible human beings struggle with massive responsibilities and the usual interpersonal communications’ incompletnesses while also understanding the risks lurking behind mistakes in decisions. This history is instruction in how organizational and political policy “happen.” It is interesting to see Truman through Brands’ eyes as a not-so-popular president at the time of this story but, now, a well respected and courageous president about whom the nation is proud. At the distance of something over half a century, Brands’ account may enjoy some freedom from the passions of the moment in its recall and portrayal.

Bellevue, Washington
26 January 2017

Copyright © 2017 by Paul F. Ross All rights reserved.

Facts about America's first encounter with communism in asia explains in dramatic style the difficulties, mistakes and ego driven tragedies that cost 34,000 lives and 90,000 wounded. Oh, then there were hundreds of thousands among North Korean and Chinese ("volunteers") troops, followed by a stalemate that to this day is an armistice( emphasis on ARMED) but little prospect of a peace treaty, not to ention a free unified Korea. Professor Brands brings the story to life with a brisk entertaining writing style. Some of the material about the Congressional hearings following MacArthur's firng has been reported in David Halberstam's : Coldest Winter. For anyone unclear about the necessity of civilian authority over military command, this book should educate you.

I started reading The General vs. the President with great anticipation, but soon started to get the feeling I wasn't reading a history book so much as some sort of novel. I base this on the very large amount of quotes used by the author in this work. I really think about half the volume is devoted to quotes by the major players in this drama. The footnoting appears to be non-existent, and the source notes seem a bit general. I almost got the feeling Brands used such a large amount of quotes as filler, to sort of pad what might otherwise have been a 200 page work.

There was nothing really new brought out in this, and no new arguments made - certainly anyone generally acquainted with this era in American history already knew Truman was seen as a bit of a plain spoken curmudgeon while MacArthur was either praised or handicapped for being so seemingly pompous. I was rather hoping, as an epilogue, that Brands might have proffered an opinion of how Truman's prosecution of the war in Korea impacted America's subsequent, unfortunate involvement in Viet Nam, viz. - did Johnson take a page out of Truman's playbook and fight Viet Nam not to win, but to avoid an escalation to global war?

I'm a big fan of Dr. Brands and have enjoyed all the works of his I have read thus far. I am not disparaging this effort - it just seems a departure from some of his other, more in-depth works.

Probably really give this 4.5 stars but oh well. Its written well enough I don't mind the extra praise with 5. Really gives you both sides to the showdown between these two historical figures, although you eventually can tell that the author ultimately does sympathize with Truman a bit more. That's not a slight, most tend to think that way given how history played out. Brands fleshes out the minor characters in a good but not too much way, and I can't think of anything he didn't touch on that was lacking. I wish perhaps Brands could have mentioned some of the soviet side of things, given recent opening of their archives but perhaps these don't exist. I also wish he spent a bit more time on the aftermath and on the two mens later years. Still, very few complaints and a good quick interesting read.

this refers to the audo CD version. Let me state from the outset that I love reading history, American history and I think very highly of HW Brands who I have heard in lecture format before. But I am a little surprised by the essentially universal acclaim about this book, the story of two men who came from completely different backgrounds and essentially did not like and/or respect each other, albeit for different reasons. I am on disc 10 out of a total of 12 and essentially cannot wait for this to conclude, having felt that I have wasted a great deal of time and that the essence of the story could have been told in half the time. One of your other reviewers laments that the author did not provide more detail about Asia in that time period and McArthur;s role in Japan and I agree that would have made this story richer. I'm wondering if reading this book would have proved more enjoyable than listening to it. Overall, disappointed. Glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it.

When reviewing a book, especially non-fiction, I always try to keep in the back of my mind exactly what the author intended the book to be. Often times I will see something the book *could* have been and then too harshly judge the book as it is. In this case, Brands has written a wonderful history on the infamous conflict between Truman and MacArthur which peaked with the very public firing of MacArthur. The story is wonderfully told and meant to be a rollicking good read. It easily accomplishes that. It does *not* aspire to be a history of the era or the wars/conflicts that led to such vast societal changes in which a conflict like this could flourish. And I enjoyed it all the more for that. Whether you are familiar with this historical moment or have never heard of it before, this is a fantastic read and I very much recommend it.

The relationship between Truman and MacArthur has been a source of endless fascination for me. Starting with American Caesar moving on to Truman then The Coldest Winter. It always ends up at the same place - Truman was president and MacArthur his subordinate. A true elitist and egoist MacArthur just could not find it in himself to subordinate himself to anyone which was his fatal flaw. He was itching to start a war with the Chinese in Korea and almost succeeded. Book is well written and while it contains no "new' information it's well organized and enjoyable. I love that mister no nonsense Truman called MacArthur a 'prima donna', this guy was so politically incorrect it's hilarious. Loved Truman and while I admire MacArthur for the brilliant general that he was, the guy just couldn't get out of his own way. Fascinating story

H.W. Brands is one of the best historians we have today. His writing here is of an often forgotten story of the clash between MacArthur and Truman. This is a rarely discussed historical footnote which has greater implications then it has been written about. This episode has been relegated to a footnote about either two men or the Korean war. Brands does a great job of giving it some of the proper due it deserves. This was one of the most serious challenges to the civilian control of the military. Brands does the necessary work to set up the story but focuses on what resulted in the main focus of the story.

This is a great book for those who enjoy US history and I strongly recommend it.

A thorough and riveting account of the dispute between General Douglas Macarthur and President Harry Truman. No detail is spareed and yet Brands delivers the information in a suspenseful manner. My father in law is a Korean War vet who fought in Korea, valiantly, never fully explained the conflict but now its clear. I often wondered was it necessary for Americans to die in Korea? Brands makes it clear that what was at stake were much bigger issues. This is an absolute must read. If history repeats itself, we must understand the issues that separate men who lead our country and world. Particularly today, in a soon to be Trump administration, these differences approaches to world peace need to be understood. Its much more complex than saying MacArthur was a warmonger and Truman was a peacemaker. This book is more than a tweet.

I'm not an history buff like my school teacher husband, so the content of this book was somewhat new. Of course I'm a bit of a Truman fan having come from MO, and "I shall return" will always keep McArthur on the forefront of WWII heroes -- but I didn't know about their feud nor enough details of the Korean War, and the book aptly fills in those knowledge gaps. It's a swift historical read that feels like nonfiction, and I was left in awe that the author didn't take sides with either subject. I'm keenly moving on to Brand's book re: Roosevelt, given his unique style of writing.

This is Brands' best book in my opinion. It is an excellent read, richly detailing the events which led to MacArthur’s firing less than a year into the Korean War. One of the lees well known things the book reveals is the theory, posited by Frank Pace, the Army Secretary, as well as Truman himself, that MacArthur deliberately provoked Truman into replacing him so that he could run against the President in 1952.

For me the book does two things: it highlights the vital principle of civilian control of the military and it underlines the importance of steady presidential leadership in times of crisis.

Highly recommend The General vs the President.

General MacArthur was a brilliant military leader who became blinded by his own brilliance and thirst for glory and fame. Thank God or fate for President Harry Truman. A patriotic, plain spoken little man with a farm wagon load of common sense came into power at just the right time in our American History. The General needed cutting down to size, Truman did what needed to be done.

Absolutely fascinating. Brands thoroughly explores Truman's relationship with MacArthur from WWII through Korea. Omar Bradley stated that Patton, Monty, and MacArthur were megalomaniacs, and this book proves his point, at least regarding MacArthur. Thankfully, Truman did not cave to MacArthur. If he had, we may very well have destroyed ourselves in WWIII.

I have read several of works of Professor Brands and this is my favorite! The story's outline is familiar to lovers of American history, but the book's focus and strong narrative arc makes it read like a suspense novel. MacArthur, the brilliant warrior/king, is out of place and ultimately destroyed in a time and place of strong democratic institutions and nuclear weapons. Truman, the shopkeeper/president, displays remarkable vision and strength of character. Both careers are destroyed in their encounter, but no weapon of mass destruction had been deployed for over 70 years.

Awesome book that was hard to put down. I learned so much of what happened with General MacArthur during the Korean War. While I knew General MacArthur was not the legend and surrounded with mostly myth this book lifts the myth and reveals the real character he was. Truman was no winner himself as he and the general went at it as the leaders America looked to for answers during the beginning of the Cold War. It's a great read.

Professor Brands has written another great book like so many of his other works. It is hard to put down. The backgrounds of both Truman and MacArthur are well described and help set the scene for the great clash that ensued among these two men, the appropriate role and employment of military force, politics in a post WWII environment and the threat of communism. What resulted from the Korean "War" was a truce that cost many American lives as well as those in other countries. Has the creation of the atomic bomb made the human race more or less civilized? Truman should have and did have the final word as the commander and chief of the armed forces. Is there no substitute for victory? How do we now define "victory" - now in the 15th year of war in Afghanistan?" Will the enemies of this nation have the same considerations as they define victory? Very good book.

I found Brands' book thoroughly enjoyable. It was a well-researched, unbiased accounting of the conflict between Truman and MacArthur during the Korean conflict. Enjoyable for those like me who are very familiar with this aspect of history and highly informative for those who are not.

The author has made this very interesting. No long winded history about characters. Only what’s relevant to the story. The story itself is NOT military but politics. The author deserves an award for writing brilliantly , witty, and keeping opinions separate from facts. Clearly.

First,  I will begin by saying that although it doesn't make him a good writer, Brands is a credentialed historian who knows his stuff.  If you need proof, check out his CV or other books, such as Reagan: A Life or  The Man Who Saved The Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace (my personal favorite of his). It may be bold to say this but he is not a good writer, he is a fantastic writer.
 As a history buff, this book is managing to not only keep my attention but leave me wanting more when I put it down.
The book begins with the well needed background to set the stage as we bare witness to MacArthur's international fall from grace.  This change in sentiment, of course, was regarding conflict in Korea after the Chinese came to the support of North Korea due to MacArthur's decision to send troops in to North Korea in an attempt to force their troops back. Eventually, this leads to his firing by President Truman, who viewed his actions as insubordinate.  The book juxtaposes MacArthur's large ego with Truman and his presidency in the age of McCarthyism, to provide a story that is both thoroughly informative and enjoyable.  If there is one historical nonfiction book to read this fall, I have found it.  Very readable and a must for American History enthusiasts. And, dare I say, not reductionist like some other books in this genre of late.
 Highly recommended!

History is a constant reminder of the events that have already passed but never to be forgotten. Historian and Storyteller H.W. Brands concentrates on the initial early months of the Korean War and events surrounding the relationship of President Harry S. Truman and General Douglas MacArthur and the key individuals that were involved in the first phase of the war Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Generals Courtney Whitney and Omar Bradley, and Senator Joseph McCarthy as well as one of the first women reporters that covered the war in the field Pulitzer Prize Reporter Marguerite Higgins of the New York Herald Tribune. Based on previously classified information and press releases and correspondences that have respectively been preserved and stored in the archives of the Truman Library and MacArthur Memorial Archives, Brands gathers the most interesting elements that occurred behind the scenes that may not have been discussed in much detail before in what was considered a tumultuous event, another war that loomed on the horizon for the United States and in Asia and the relationship between MacArthur and Truman during the war. The General vs.The President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War may clarify and straighten out the historical record of what occurred before that fateful day the 11th of April 1951.

Before one can assess the major part of the book, it is the history that lends itself to further understanding and keeping in mind what came before Korea and what was happening with the neighboring regions and the aftermath of World War II. For the most part, one cannot deny the most influential and highly revered leaders of the post-WWII period and the beginning of the Cold War. It is this important point that one may recognize as a commonality between the two men and the period in which they led by 1950. Brand briefly outlines within the first 70 pages of the book; he attempts to connect their unique personalities and early careers in the service, both fought in the First World War during the years that the United States became involved in 1917, MacArthur most notably earned much distinction in his career in the United States Army while Truman in 1918 within the National Guard. In spite of the differences in rank and service, they knew what war was about and the complications that came with it and would be symbols of the modern age. They will have learned years after that their leadership will be challenged at different capacities and roles, Truman, first as vice president and later as president and MacArthur as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces first in the Pacific theater of WWII and during the Korean War and communication and technology would be the center of the decision that they made.

The difference between this book and previous ones that have covered a wide range of the Korean War that have centered upon the very detailed military history and the combination of the political and military aspects, they range from recent books from David Halbertstam, The Coldest Winter to The Korean War by Bruce Cumings; they are several that are mentioned in addition to the newspapers US News and World Reports, New York Times, and the Washington Post and that are referred to in the notes and sources. Brand’s narrative is slightly different to history in the form of the communication that the two men exchanged not on the battlefield but within political circles. And as the back cover of the book asserts it was a time of high tensions, and as one reads mid way through the book the sections called “Test of Nerve” and the most intense “An Entirely New War” the fine details that Brand writes places the pieces of the historical puzzle together to what exactly occurred before the unfortunate dismissal of General MacArthur and his role as supreme commander of United Nation forces in Korea. If one were able to retell history based on what Truman and the press knew during the height of the war after Chinese forces were on the move and the outcome of MacArthur’s role, possibly the results may have panned out differently. As one will see that one side of the story does not completely interpret the past and the Korean War is a pure example of that sentiment and the unpredictability that was not able to be accurately determined. And it is this part of history that these experienced leaders would have imagined in their careers in terms of how war was fought in the modern age after Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the aftermath of these two historic events will continue to loom in the mind of Truman when Korea emerged.

The General vs. The President is an insightful addition to understanding the ramifications of the early stages during the war in Korea and the effects of the power of the press and communication and technology contained within the thoughts and words that were spoken by MacArthur and Truman that may have determined the outcome of the war.

Well written and it was so interesting reading about what went on in the outside world when I was about 8 to 11 years old. I only remember the saying "old soldiers never die..." being mentioned in adult convesations, but I did not read the paper, only the comics, and found out about the real world at the dinner table. There is so much information in this book about the critical events of that time period. It is a must read.

This superbly written review elucidates the struggles and competing philosophies of the post world war 2 era. Clearly written and easy to consume, the author reminds the reader of the various tensions, issues, and historical context of the korean conflict that led to the showdown between Truman and Macarthur.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was succinct. The material was well organized. The author focused on the details of the relationship between Truman and McArthur, while giving the background story in a way that did not interfere with the story. Highly recommended, even for people who do not have much knowledge of the Korean War as the book will bring you along with the whole story. Outstanding.

Not many Americans knew that Franklin Roosevelt had once called Douglas MacArthur the mot dangerous man in America! Once you read the book you will totally agree. MacArthur came home from Korea a military hero with throngs screaming greetings and applauding him entranced with ever single word the man said. MacArthur was higher thought of than President Truman or any other man alive at the time. This man was not what he appeared however. He was an egomaniac who loved the spot light and things were always his way or no way; he was a master manipulator and thought himself a king. His manipulation of the news media made him an American hero. He loved to have the media quote him and his version of any incident, true or false. He was hardheaded and not always honest. Surprised? I am sure historians are no longer surprised at this man's true character but it took some time for the truth to be known. If you love history you will love H.W.Brands's book THE GENERAL vs.THE PRESIDENT: MacARTUR AND TRUMAN. I heavenly lately been a history buff and love learning what was skipped in school. another reason I loved this book was due to my Uncle Carl serving in the Korean conflict (not to be confused with war since it had been declared a police state and never war). I had not even started to school and remember the angst surround any news of Korea. ...letter were scarce and long in coming; no television to have a front row seat; the radio broadcasts were heard with family gather around and not a word was spoken until the broadcast ended. This was MY first war/military conflict. H.W. Brands brought all that to life for me once I read his book. I could barely put it down and did not want it to end. This was not the easiest book I have read by any stretch but I was hooked on the characters. You will be also.

President Harry Truman was honest, decisive, humble, a good businessman, and not popular with the American people. This conflict with MacArthur reminded me of FDR and Lindburg in that the American people wanted news as much about the pilot and about the president. Truman and his staff had to think of the world in term of the Communist and his general only thought of the far east. ...the general mostly thought of Formosa. He saw great victory in Korea even though he continued to do it his was versus what he was ordered. He would misinterput the orders deliberately or turn them around to do what he wanted to do anyway. He often would say he did not know it was an order. In Korea, the Communist struck its first blow to the 'free world'. There was controversy regarding the 38 parallel (on the general's side; not the President) Thru all this President Truman remained calm and was trying ascertain the workings of the general's mind knowing the other nations of the word, especially those who were members of the U.N. What a mess it all was politically with Truman seen as weak, the economy was depressed, the European nations ruined by War World II and the USSR tensions. The Bomb was hanging over Truman's head as it was now rumored the Soviet's also had the bomb. Truman made statement regarding the U.S. bomb that had people thinking he meant MacArthur could decide when and where to use the bomb. That statement had to be clarified quickly; although the correction was made quickly but the damage had already been done. Truman often thought I should have fired MacArthur already.....he finally did fire the general.

Congress was able to get the facts finally as to who General MacArthur really was and the conflict and chaos he caused. Would you believe he started campaigning for president?

Thank goodness our Constitution was designed to prevent us from having a Julius Caesar who was a general and made himself a dictator. Please read the deliciously historical book.

As other reviewers have said, nothing new here.

No new content and no new interpretation of old content.

For a lesser historian, or allegedly lesser, I might still allow a third star. But not here.

Brands gives no indication of why he wrote this book if there's nothing new here on either information or analysis. Maybe it's purely mercenary.

Besides, the "conventional wisdom" that we had engaged in no "police actions" before this isn't really true.

Starting with Wilson, through the start of FDRs time, we engaged in plenty of police actions not just in Mexico but throughout the Caribbean. And, it's arguable that the suppression of the Philippines was similar, with both McKinley and TR hiding some details from a Congress that otherwise might not have been so complacent.

In the last year of his presidency, George W. Bush saw his approval numbers descend to almost historical levels. Even since presidential approval numbers started being kept in the Truman administration, only once had we seen an approval level as low as Bush's astonishing low 25% and that was in Harry S. Truman's first full term. The reason for Truman's enormous unpopularity is often said to be his firing of General Douglas MacArthur after he had publicly criticized Truman's denying him the option of using nuclear weapons in Korea. Truman's approval bottomed out at 22% but unlike the myth, the reason had to do with more than just the firing of MacArthur, but three or four other major controversies.

The fortunes of MacArthur and Truman have been reversed in history. While many in the public esteemed MacArthur and blamed Truman in the aftermath of the former's firing, history has been far kinder to Truman than the general. Almost every book written about WW II - whether, say, Ivan Toll's trilogy (of which the first two volumes have been published) on the war in the Pacific or Jean Edward Smith's biography of Eisenhower (Ike was the long-time aide of MacArthur in the thirties) depicts MacArthur as more a creation of his own self-promotion than as a truly gifted military leader a la Bull Halsey or George S. Patton. True, Patton's immaculously polished helmet and pearl-handled pistols smacked of the same kind of image-creation as MacArthur's corn cob pipe, but Patton demonstrated on multiple occasions his excellence both as a battlefield tactician and as a leader of men. MacArthur's military abilities never matched his penchant for self-publicity and with each passing decade fewer and fewer military historians have come to his defense. Truman, however, has been treated very kindly by history. While his popularity level reached 22% shortly after his firing of MacArthur, each decade has seen a slight increase in his reputation. The big move was David McCullough's superb biography, but his defenders have been legion. Using Arthur Schlesinger's famous categorization, Truman ended his time in office with a rating of Below Average, but today would be rated "Near Great," along with presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. In an aggregate of all scholarly presidential polls, Truman today ranks Number 6.

H. W. Brands is one of the better popular historians of the present age, focusing on American history but jumping all over the place in our history. I personally have found the quality of the books to be all over the place. His biography on Ronald Reagan was a disappointment though I much prefer his biography of Benjamin Franklin to that of Isaacson. His history of the Robber Barons (AMERICAN COLOSSUS) is pretty decent, as are his biographies of Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt. His biography of FDR - A STRANGER TO HIS CLASS - is my favorite of his books. So where does THE GENERAL VS. THE PRESIDENT rank among his books? I'd say this is an average effort. Brands excels in narrative, recounting major events in a clear, easy-going prose. He can take complex scenarios and break them down into clear, easy-to-understand. This is where Brands shines in this book, balancing accounts of domestic issues at home that left Truman in a weakened position in the nations eyes while providing the background and context of the Korean War.

This book also has a fair amount of relevance to the 2016 presidential election. While Harry S. Truman is the only person in human history to order the use of nuclear weapons. Whatever his motives in ordering the strike on Japan (some have alleged that it had as much to do with international foreign policy, wanting to intimidate Stalin as to persuade the Japanese to end the war), he felt that use in the future could not be done be done cavalierly. The conflict between Truman and MacArthur was not merely over the use of nuclear weapons, but given that one of the candidates in the current election rather insanely wants to leave the use of nuclear "on the table," to go back and examine the major conflict between the military and the executive on the use of nuclear weapons.

This is an excellent book on two of the great personalities of the postwar era.