The American Experience: MacArthur

It is all here, from his ignominious (although officially ordered) personal withdrawal from the Philippines by PT boat, leaving his entrapped garrison behind to the rebuilding of American presence in the south pacific, and the first tentative efforts to stem the tide of Japanese aggression in New Guinea. MacArthur was a virtual dynamo, and was instrumental in slowly but methodically turning the tide against the Japanese, first by leap-frogging his way slowly up the coast of New Guinea, and then by island hopping his way closer to a return to the Philippines. By late 1944 he was ready to invade the Philippines, and did so boldly and with a smashing success first in Leyte, and then eventually retook all of the islands. Finally, he oversaw the signing of the instruments of surrender in Tokyo Bay, and the terrific footage of the actual signing of the peace accords is by itself worth the price of the video.

The documentary is full of informative details concerning MacArthur's life, from his obsession with equaling or surpassing his Medal Of Honor winning father's career as a late 19th century Army general to his fear and difficult relationship with his adoring but domineering mother, who actually cohabited with him as late as when he was Commandant of West Point in his mid-forties after World War One. We learn a great deal about the career thrust of "Dugout Doug" in this fascinating personal portrait of him which depicts him as vain, a publicity hound, and a wry but sometimes naive politician and darling of the Republican right wing, who protected him from suffering the court martial and disgrace of the commanding general and admiral at Pearl Harbor.

The historic and constitutionally charged clashes between President Harry Truman and MacArthur over the strategy in Korea are carefully examined, leaving this viewer both admiring MacArthur's position based on his knowledge of the combat situation as well as his resolve not to appease the Chinese, but yet also understanding that too much was at stake politically and strategically to be as aggressive and as provocative as MacArthur tended to be. This documentary provides the viewer with four hours of edifying detail concerning one of history's most instrumental and successful military leaders during his times at destiny's door. I really enjoyed this video, and suspect you will, too.


A Great Biography   May 15, 2000
Gregory Miller (USA)
26 out of 26 found this review helpful

This is one of the best biography's I ever viewed on video. Not only did it hold my interest from beginning to end, it was very educational and revealing. This work was well researched and well written. It presents an in-depth look at a man who had a significant influence on our nation's history. But it does not stop there. It also gives an in-depth look at ourselves, and our own history as a people. It helps us to reflect upon our moods and attitudes during World War II an the Korean war. It puts in perspective the history of America's relationships with The Philipines, Japan and China. Most revealing are the power struggles that take place behind the scenes at the highest levels of government. It puts a human face on superstardom. If you want to learn how Japan got to where it is today after loosing World War II, why we dropped the atom bomb, and why our relationship with China is what it is today, this video will help. General Douglas McArthur not only had a major influence on the history of his time, but because of his policies and actions, he is still a major influence on our history today, and will be for a very long time.


The Greatest Military mind this country has ever produced   May 30, 1999
22 out of 24 found this review helpful

Far from being sick, General MacArthur was a stable personality. He did have an immense ego, name me a general who didn't. The fact is that no other military mind can come close to him. His personal bravery in WW I led to six silver stars, in WW II he lost less men in the southwest Pacific in four years than General Eisenhower lost in the Battle of the Bulge alone, and the invasion at Inchon was the height of daring and risk but he and the US forces pulled it off. This PBS set is an excellent addition to any video collection.


MACARTHUR WAS A MILITARY GENIUS AND A SICK MAN   May 20, 1999
20 out of 27 found this review helpful

The American Experience (PBS) review of Douglas MacArthur's life brought out details never before revealed. His brains, eloquence and charisma made him an almost unassailable figurehead, strongly supported by the Republican party. His paranoia and grandiosity got in the way of his achieving his potential. He had to be closely guarded by other generals and controlled by civilian presidents. He lied, exaggerated, distorted and constantly blew up his image. He was so independent and dangerous that it was necessary for Harry Truman to fire him. There are many details given by people close to him.


Detailed examination of the General   August 2, 2003
Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

Was General MacArthur an "egomaniac," as others reviewers have noted? Of course he was, but few Americans in history had better cause to have such an high opinion of themselves. Not only was MacArthur astonishingly brilliant (he graduated first in his West Point class), he was handsome, erudite, reached the apex of his profession with his fifth star, and he a military genius. It would be difficult to be humble having such an array of stunning attributes. Few have possessed such an astonishingly rich resume.

American Experience biographies are always exemplary efforts and this is no exception. We see footage of various places MacArthur knew, from the military forts of his childhood, West Point, Manila, all the way to his last days at his improbable residence, the Waldorf Astoria. There are a multitude of interviews with people in MacArthur's orbit, from his military aide in the Philippines do his aide in Korea. The historians they include are all interesting, with the exception of the pompous Geoffrey Perret, who wrote a disappointing and error-laden biography of MacArthur.

There is an abundance of material on MacArthur's private life, including his bizarre first marriage to a flapper and his stable second marriage to his devoted Jean. MacArthur's Eurasian mistress is not forgotten either, and the documentary quotes from his sappy, Victorian love letters to her. Very interesting stuff! Finally, they include the fact that his only son, Arthur MacArthur, changed his name and now lives anonymously in NYC as a saxophone player. This is a highly entertaining documentary, beautifully produced, edited and scripted. It doesn't get much better than this.