by: Joel Villaraza

The year 1942 was a dark moment for American and Filipino soldiers in the Philippines. Japanese forces were advancing on land, air and sea. Manila had already fallen and Allied soldiers were slowly losing their grounds. They were ordered to retreat in a peninsula to avoid being outflanked and trapped by the enemy. Thousands of troops withdrew to defend  Bataan and a tiny island of Corregidor. Casualties started to rise and scores of wounded began to mount. Their situation was desperate. There was no sign of troop reinforcements. Promise of help was nowhere to be seen. Supply of food, medicine and ammunition were dwindling. Food which was already rationed was cut in half. Morale was showing some signs of cracking but they were told to hold out and kept on fighting.

Later on, they began to wonder, "Where is our General? Where is General Douglas MacArthur?" They were looking for their leader and he seemed nowhere to be found. There was a rumor that MacArthur was comfortably sheltered in a tunnel in Corregidor. They said he was hiding in his bunker so he could dodge the bullets and avoid enemy fire. He became the joke of the camp and many soldiers seemed to take pleasure in mocking his name. One trooper would ask, "Do you know Dugout Doug?" One would answer, "Are you kidding me? I was one of the diggers who dug the dug-out for Dugout Doug!"  Douglas 'Doug' MacArthur was labelled as Dougout Doug. The name-calling stung him.  Some were beginning to think that he was a coward and could not lead his men into battle. His experience became more painful when he was commanded by President Franklin Roosevelt to leave the Philippines and retreat to Australia. As a leader, he could not leave his men in the heat of the battle. He said to one of his staff, "This is one order I must disobey." But he had to leave and his order was clear. He could not defy the order of his commander-in-chief.

Douglas MacArthur has been a controversial figure yet he was one of the most brilliant generals America ever produced. He was awarded the Medal of Honor during WW2 for above and beyond the call of duty - the highest award to be given to a soldier in the service of his country. He was one of the five star generals who engineered the defeat of Japanese Imperial forces in the Pacific. Even with limited troops and limited supplies, he was able to find a way to defeat the enemy with his island hoping strategy by attacking the Japanese army where they were weakest. After WWII, he became the Supreme Allied commander in Korea who masterminded a successful surprise attack in Inchon. The operation was hailed a victory for they were able to take back the lost ground from the enemy. More importantly, they were able to save Allied soldiers in the South who were trapped by the North Korean army.

MacArthur, however before he became known as a brilliant military strategist, he too had his failure. After the attack in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 by the Japanese Imperial navy, Manila was already informed of the news yet the country was still in slumber. The military top brass in the city who knew what was to come did not prepare a contingency in preparation for the advancing enemy. Ten hours after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces struck the Philippines without mercy. Americans were not able to scramble the planes in time to meet the enemy head on. Most of it were just parked either on the runway or in the hangar and the Japanese warplanes easily destroyed them. Clark Field and Sangley Point, not too far away from Manila, sustained heavy loses. The Air Force and Navy lost most of their planes on the ground. 

Gen. Douglas MacArthur was not a man without a flaw. Some leaders, generals and politicians disliked him because he was pompous. On the other hand, MacArthur considered them ignorant because he thought they lacked the knowledge to win a war. He was also a man who could not admit his mistake. Aside from being arrogant and proud, he was also known for being insubordinate. He resented receiving his orders from Washington. This was one of his characteristics which got him in a collision course with his superiors.  

Gen. MacArthur riding a jeep on his way to visit his troops.

Nevertheless, returning to the Philippines as he had promised, his experience in Bataan and Corregidor guided him. He was not the same general who left the country defeated; he returned to the Philippines as a liberator. He was in steady communication with his field commanders and fellow senior officers. He learned his lesson and he made a point to be VISIBLE with the men in battle. He showed courage by being in front of them. When they made a successful landing in Leyte, he and a handful of his men drove inland so that he could observe and give further instructions to his officers.  Along the way, a commanding officer in the area who realized the danger, stopped them  and said it was not safe to go further. The place was not totally cleared and there were still Japanese snipers around the area. MacArthur who was known for being stubborn could not be stopped by a commanding officer to the place where he wanted to go. Inland where they could still hear sporadic fighting at a distance, they made a stop to discuss his strategy. Moments later, shot rang out and his men around him took cover behind the jeep and took out their guns.  Apparently unfazed with the gunshot and still standing where he was, he calmly gave an order to the men saying, "You better take care of it or else somebody will get hurt." 

MacArthur learned to be with his men. He talked with them, spent some time with them and learned to feel with them. He took charge and inspired his men when he visited them in the battle front. He was the highest ranking officer in the battlefield and he did his job to earn the respect of the army. MacArthur served above the call of duty by leading and commanding his men.

The story of MacArthur has a great lesson to teach.  Leaders should serve as good example. Having this attitude has been a useful guideline for leaders who wanted people to follow them. They should organize, take the lead and work with the group. Leaders are not just out there to delegate responsibilities. It is their job to motivate people by working with them. They should guide and show them how things are being done correctly in order to be effective. Leaders are to be VISIBLE to give a helping hand at work. Failing to show these qualities can breed disrespect. Back in Bataan and Corregidor during the outbreak of the war, MacArthur felt a sense of contempt from his soldiers when they voiced out their complaint against his lack of leadership. Years later, however, the soldiers' perception of him turned around because 'Duty, Honor, Country' became MacArthur's guiding light. Respect goes in front of people who actively lead and take responsibility. As I write this article, I can not but remember the story of another great man who inspired his country during the war. Winston Churchill took on the burden of leading his people against Nazi Germany and rallied his people with courage during WWII.  He did it by his powerful words and by leading a fine example.  He once said, "The price of greatness is responsibility."

Ticker tape parade in honor of a great man.  Douglas MacArthur received a heroes welcome in New York on April 21, 1951.  It was a generous tribute for the general with over a million people in attendance.  In the city, the day was declared a non-working day.