MacArthur Memorial Podcast

On October 26, 2024, the MacArthur Memorial and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf with a series of presentations. Dr. Peter Mansoor, a retired US Army officer and the General Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair in Military History at Ohio State University, presented a lecture entitled The Naval Battle of Leyte Gulf. If you would like to see the slides he used, you can also find his presentation on the MacArthur Memorial’s YouTube channel. Link: https://youtu.be/eFBjKmdlt_0 Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

On October 26, 2024, the MacArthur Memorial and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf with a series of presentations. Thomas Cutler, a retired USN officer and a preeminent naval historian, presented a lecture entitled The Naval Battle of Leyte Gulf. If you would like to see the slides he used, you can also find his presentation on the MacArthur Memorial’s YouTube channel. Link: https://youtu.be/eFBjKmdlt_0 Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

General Douglas MacArthur’s forces began landing at Leyte on October 20, 1944. That’s the day MacArthur took the famous picture wading ashore at Leyte, but there was a lot more to the operation than that. Why was Leyte chosen over Mindanao? How prepared were Japanese commanders for the invasion? How did the Japanese army and navy try to repel the invasion? Did MacArthur really hope to take part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf aboard the USS Nashville? MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams sat down to discuss these questions and more. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

During World War II, as many young men joined the military, many college basketball programs in the United States were suspended. The US Military Academy at West Point was one of the schools that continued its basketball program. Army’s 1943 season was not a great season – but the 1944 season was spectacular. Against a backdrop of war, Army delivered a perfect season and then many of the key players on that team went from basketball to the battlefield. To discuss this unique team, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Jim Noles, author of Undefeated: From Basketball to Battle: West Point's Perfect Season 1944. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

When most people think about the battles in the Pacific during World War II, they probably think of Guadalcanal, Okinawa, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Leyte Gulf, Midway, etc. It was a very long and difficult war though, and there were dozens of other battles. One of the lesser-known battles is the Battle of Morotai, which began on September 15, 1944. Part of the Halmahera Island group, Morotai is a small island in what is now Indonesia – southeast of the Philippines. Prior to World War II it was part of the Netherlands East Indies. It was occupied in 1942 by the Japanese. To mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Morotai, MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda WIlliams sat down to discuss the battle and the role in played in setting up MacArthur's return to the Philippines. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of the most popular and successful relief programs during the Great Depression. Between 1933-1942, it put 3 million men to work throughout the United States. These young men worked on conservation and transportation projects on Federal, State, and local government lands. The CCC was the brainchild of President Franklin Roosevelt and his liberal New Deal advisors. In large part, it was successful because of the U.S. Army, a bastion of conservatism at the time, and more specifically, because of the efforts of the anti-New Deal Army Chief of Staff, General Douglas MacArthur. It was an interesting match made out of necessity. Join MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams for a discussion of MacArthur and the CCC. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

On November 29, 1952, a 22-year-old CIA operative named Jack Downey was shot down over China while taking part in an air drop. Four successive Administrations refused to acknowledge his connection to the CIA. Without this acknowledgement, Downey spent 21 years as a POW - the longest-held POW in American history. His treatment in prison was largely dictated by the events of the Korean War and the Cold War. Barry Werth, author of Prisoner of Lies: Jack Downey’s Cold War, joined the MacArthur Memorial Podcast to discuss Jack Downey's experience. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In late July 1944, President Roosevelt met with General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The future of the war in the Pacific was discussed at this Pearl Harbor Conference, or Pacific Strategy Conference as it is also called. It was not a "real" conference in the sense that it did not include Admiral Ernest King or General George Marshall, but it was a very consequential meeting. Recently, MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams sat down to discuss what happened before, during, and after the meeting. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In this latest episode, MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams answer some of the more popular and/or unique questions about General MacArthur we have received from MacArthur Memorial Podcast listeners and on social media. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

On June 18, 1945, one month shy of his 59th birthday, Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. became the most senior US military officer to be killed by enemy fire in World War II. At the time, he was leading the Tenth Army on Okinawa. Buckner kept a diary from January 1, 1944, to June 17, 1945. That diary has only recently been fully published. It is an important addition to our understanding of Buckner and the Pacific War. To discuss this diary and Buckner's service, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Christopher Kolakowski, editor of Tenth Army Commander: The Writings of Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., 1944-1945. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In 1942, John D. Bulkeley, commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 and skipper of PT-41, spirited MacArthur and his family off Corregidor. Bulkeley received a Silver Star for his role in MacArthur's escape and was later awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in Philippine waters from 7 December 1941 to 10 April 1942. His service did not end in the Pacific though. Bulkeley went on to serve in Europe and played a key role in the operation of PT boats in the English Channel and also participated in the D-Day operation. To discuss this period of Bulkeley's career, John Long, Director of Education at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA, returned to the MacArthur Memorial Podcast. The National D-Day Memorial (dday.org) Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

The Occupation of Japan after World War II is often considered a masterclass in civil affairs. It was not perfect, but it was successful. General Douglas MacArthur’s primary mission was to demilitarize Japan. Before he even arrived in Japan however, he was convinced that a sustainable peace would require significant legal and social changes – particularly in terms of the status of Japanese women. The MacArthur Memorial Podcast has covered MacArthur’s role in mandating and supporting these reforms in a previous podcast, but we have never focused on any of the staff members in his HQ who drafted these new policies. One of those staff members was a young woman named Beate Sirota. Her daughter, Professor Nicole Gordon, joined the MacArthur Memorial Podcast to discuss Beate Sirota's work during the Occupation. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

On September 11, 1940, the SS Quanza arrived in Norfolk, VA. She was carrying a number of Jewish refugees who were fleeing the Nazi war machine. While they would ultimately find safety through the efforts of the Jewish community in Hampton Roads, this small humanitarian victory would be the catalyst for the virtual elimination of similar opportunities for future refugees. To discuss the story of the SS Quanza, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Wendy Juren, a member of the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. On May 9, 2024, at 7:00PM, the MacArthur Memorial and the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater will host a FREE screening of Nobody Wants Us - a documentary film about the refugees aboard the SS Quanza. Register here: Form Center • Nobody Wants Us Film Screening (macarthurmemorial.org) Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In April 1944, General Douglas MacArthur’s forces made a 580-mile amphibious leap to seize airfields at Hollandia and Aitape in New Guinea. It was a bold plan that meant making two simultaneous amphibious landings deep in enemy territory and it was the first time Admiral Chester Nimitz’s aircraft carriers supported a MacArthur assault. Join MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams for a discussion of these operations and the logistics involved. The April 2024 issue of the MacArthur Report will feature maps/pictures related to this podcast and the previous episode on the Admiralty Islands. You can find that issue here after April 30, 2024: The MacArthur Report | MacArthur Memorial, VA - Official Website Sign up for the quarterly MacArthur Report: Signup Form (constantcontactpages.com) Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

Part II of a two part interview. From 1942-1945, Ernie Pyle was the most famous American war correspondent. In 1942, his columns were featured in 42 newspapers. By 1945, they were featured in 400 daily and 300 weekly newspapers. He covered the war from the Blitz to North Africa, to Italy, to Normandy, and then the Pacific. The American public found his writing human and accessible. Those in combat found him a particular ally – someone who understood suffering, someone who could explain a little bit of what they were experiencing to those back home. To learn more about Pyle, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast spoke with David Chrisinger, author of The Soldier’s Truth: Ernie Pyle and the Story of World War II. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

General MacArthur's multi-city state funeral concluded in Norfolk, VA on April 11, 1964. Join MacArthur Memorial historians Amanda Williams and Jim Zobel for a discussion of the events and logistics associated with this final salute to General MacArthur. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

From 1942-1945, Ernie Pyle was the most famous American war correspondent. In 1942, his columns were featured in 42 newspapers. By 1945, they were featured in 400 daily and 300 weekly newspapers. He covered the war from the Blitz to North Africa, to Italy, to Normandy, and then the Pacific. The American public found his writing human and accessible. Those in combat found him a particular ally – someone who understood suffering, someone who could explain a little bit of what they were experiencing to those back home. To learn more about Pyle, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast spoke with David Chrisinger, author of The Soldier’s Truth: Ernie Pyle and the Story of World War II. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In February 2024, the MacArthur Memorial hosted an event to mark the 125th anniversary of the Philippine American War. This event was in partnership with the Hampton Roads chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society and the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater. The event featured presentations by several scholars on different aspects of the war. This episode features a lecture on the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo by Dwight Sullivan, author of Capturing Aguinaldo: The Daring Raid to Seize the Philippine President at the Dawn of the American Century. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In February 2024, the MacArthur Memorial hosted an event to mark the 125th anniversary of the Philippine American War. This event was in partnership with the Hampton Roads chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society and the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater. The event featured presentations by several scholars on different aspects of the war. This episode features a lecture by Dr. David O. Lozada III, a history professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, on The Philippine-American War from the Filipino perspective. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org

In February 2024, the MacArthur Memorial hosted an event to mark the 125th anniversary of the Philippine American War. This event was in partnership with the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society and the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater. The event featured presentations by several scholars on different aspects of the war. Dr. Brian Linn, author of The U.S. Army and Counterinsurgency in the Philippine War, 1899-1902, presented a lecture entitled: The US Army and the Philippine-American War. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply) Follow us on: Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial www.macarthurmemorial.org