Douglas MacArthur

American Warrior

By: Arthur Herman

Narrated by: Henry Strozier

Length: 39 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Douglas MacArthur was arguably the last American public figure to be worshipped unreservedly as a national hero, the last military figure to conjure up the romantic stirrings once evoked by George Armstrong Custer and Robert E. Lee. But he was also one of America's most divisive figures, a man whose entire career was steeped in controversy. Was he an avatar or an anachronism, a brilliant strategist or a vainglorious mountebank?

Drawing on a wealth of new sources, Arthur Herman delivers a powerhouse biography that peels back the layers of myth - both good and bad - and exposes the marrow of the man beneath. MacArthur's life spans the emergence of the United States Army as a global fighting force. Its history is to a great degree his story. The son of a Civil War hero, he led American troops in three monumental conflicts - World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Born four years after Little Big Horn, he died just as American forces began deploying in Vietnam.

Herman's magisterial book spans the full arc of MacArthur's journey, from his elevation to major general at 38 through his tenure as superintendent of West Point, field marshal of the Philippines, supreme ruler of postwar Japan, and beyond. More than any previous biographer, Herman shows how MacArthur's strategic vision helped shape several decades of US foreign policy. Alone among his peers, he foresaw the shift away from Europe, becoming the prophet of America's destiny in the Pacific Rim.

Here, too, is a vivid portrait of a man whose grandiose vision of his own destiny won him enemies as well as acolytes. MacArthur was one of the first military heroes to cultivate his own public persona - the swashbuckling commander outfitted with Ray-Ban sunglasses, riding crop, and corncob pipe. Repeatedly spared from being killed in battle - his soldiers nicknamed him "Bullet Proof" - he had a strong sense of divine mission. "Mac" was a man possessed, in the words of one of his contemporaries, of a "supreme and almost mystical faith that he could not fail".

Yet when he did, it was on an epic scale. His willingness to defy both civilian and military authority was, Herman shows, a lifelong trait - and it would become his undoing. Tellingly, MacArthur once observed, "Sometimes it is the order one disobeys that makes one famous".

To capture the life of such an outsize figure in one volume is no small achievement. With Douglas MacArthur, Arthur Herman has set a new standard for untangling the legacy of this American legend.

©2016 Arthur Herman (P)2016 Recorded Books

Outstanding Work, Superb Reading

I've long been interested in Douglas MacArthur. He and my grandfather were friends and served together in World War I. This is by far the best researched and thorough book on him I have ever read, the author presents him as he was, balanced and correct. There is a lot more than that however. The world would look vastly different today if MacArthur had been in Marshall's place and if FDR and Truman would have followed his advice.

A new appreciation

Well worth the long listen. My farther served with General MacArthur in WWII and relayed his admiration for him on many occasions. Amazing how we see his forward thinking playing out in the world today. A truly inspired man.

A Complicated Man

Herman’s biography illuminates the life of a complicated soldier and leader who accomplished great things. Taking an overall positive perspective of MacArthur, Herman does not ignore the character flaws and questionable decisions of his subject. However, his explanations tend somewhat towards towards making excuses for the same. Overall, MacArthur enthusiasts like myself will walk away supported in their enthusiasm, while MacArthur detractors may find some of the old tropes hard to maintain. The narrator was perfectly suited to the subject matter, though I found listening at 1.5x speed more enjoyable. Highly recommend.

A clear account of an exceptional life

The book was very thorough in presenting a clear form of a man who made mistakes along with great victories. He was somewhat of a last of his breed of soldier and his views on what America’s stance should have been in the Pacific from the 30’s to the 60’s was very keen, though he was a bit unruly in his execution of tasks at time. A great book.

great book once in life time leader

it was like it traveled thru time the general was a very complex person totally devoted to his country and his God

Good content

Good book on a great historical figure. 10 hours too long. Too many details. Will never listen to book that is 50+ hours again
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Simply Superb

MacArthur was a true American hero from the political right of the spectrum at a time when the left was trying to impose it socialism on America, from Woodrow Wilson, to FDR to Truman, so the truth about MacArthur had to be hidden from the American people. Herein you'll finally read the truth about this towering figure.

Incredible biography and a history lesson

Highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyable. A masterpiece! Well written, balances, incredibly researched and a pleasure to read/listen to.

Well done and interesting throughout

Very good. Author covered warts and all. So good. Amazing to be so interested throughout the entire audio

A very interesting and enlightening work

I’d heard all the criticisms of MacArthur over the years and read a couple of studies of this man both pro and con but this has been the best and most evenhanded effort by far. After coming to the last chapter I reflected over this mans achievements and despite his faults and flaws I found myself one of the millions who were glad he lived. Recommended.