TRUMAN, Harry S. Typed letter signed ("Harry S. Truman"), as President, to Frank E. McClernan, Washington, 18 April 1951. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, matted and framed with engraved portrait .
TRUMAN, Harry S. Typed letter signed ("Harry S. Truman"), as President, to Frank E. McClernan, Washington, 18 April 1951. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, matted and framed with engraved portrait . TRUMAN ON THE FIRING OF MACARTHUR--"THE ACTION I WAS COMPELLED TO TAKE IN THE INTEREST OF OUR POLICY IN THE FAR EAST" "Thank you ever so much for writing me that heartening letter," Truman tells McClernan. "I appreciate your thoughtful words in commendation of the action I was compelled to take in the interest of our policy in the Far East. Your assurance of continued loyal support and cooperation in the tasks ahead are extremely gratifying to me." MacArthur had always grated on Truman's nerves. The general's megalomania, the carefully crafted showmanship, his sycophantic staff--all were the exact opposite of Truman's plainspoken humility. He wanted to fire him in August 1950 when MacArthur proffered his own views about what U.S. policy should be in Asia, but the Joint Chiefs talked him out of it. The success at Inchon followed, so MacArthur's stock was on the rise. But he ran afoul of Truman again when he called for the use of atomic weapons in Korea, then attacked the administration outright by calling it weak in the face of communist aggression. Truman announced the firing on 11 April. A torrent of critical and often abusive mail flowed into the White House. Polls showed that only 29 of the electorate agreed with the decision. There were public calls for the impeachment of Truman and Acheson, and, one day after this letter, MacArthur appeared before Congress to deliver his famous "old soldier's never die" valedictory. Truman got hold of a copy of that speech beforehand, and afterwards, at a Cabinet meeting, asked everyone their reactions. Almost all were outraged. Not Truman: "I said it was nothing but a bunch of bullshit...Once all the hullabaloo died down, people would see what he was" (Truman, Plain Speaking , 313).
TRUMAN, Harry S. Typed letter signed ("Harry S. Truman"), as President, to Frank E. McClernan, Washington, 18 April 1951. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, matted and framed with engraved portrait .
TRUMAN, Harry S. Typed letter signed ("Harry S. Truman"), as President, to Frank E. McClernan, Washington, 18 April 1951. 1 page, 4to, White House stationery, matted and framed with engraved portrait . TRUMAN ON THE FIRING OF MACARTHUR--"THE ACTION I WAS COMPELLED TO TAKE IN THE INTEREST OF OUR POLICY IN THE FAR EAST" "Thank you ever so much for writing me that heartening letter," Truman tells McClernan. "I appreciate your thoughtful words in commendation of the action I was compelled to take in the interest of our policy in the Far East. Your assurance of continued loyal support and cooperation in the tasks ahead are extremely gratifying to me." MacArthur had always grated on Truman's nerves. The general's megalomania, the carefully crafted showmanship, his sycophantic staff--all were the exact opposite of Truman's plainspoken humility. He wanted to fire him in August 1950 when MacArthur proffered his own views about what U.S. policy should be in Asia, but the Joint Chiefs talked him out of it. The success at Inchon followed, so MacArthur's stock was on the rise. But he ran afoul of Truman again when he called for the use of atomic weapons in Korea, then attacked the administration outright by calling it weak in the face of communist aggression. Truman announced the firing on 11 April. A torrent of critical and often abusive mail flowed into the White House. Polls showed that only 29 of the electorate agreed with the decision. There were public calls for the impeachment of Truman and Acheson, and, one day after this letter, MacArthur appeared before Congress to deliver his famous "old soldier's never die" valedictory. Truman got hold of a copy of that speech beforehand, and afterwards, at a Cabinet meeting, asked everyone their reactions. Almost all were outraged. Not Truman: "I said it was nothing but a bunch of bullshit...Once all the hullabaloo died down, people would see what he was" (Truman, Plain Speaking , 313).
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
