Tehan.Pdf (7.279Mb)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Douglas MacArthur - An Administrative Biography by William J. Tehan III Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSPHY in Public Administration and Policy John A. Rohr, Chair Gary W. Wamsley James F. Wolf Charles T. Goodsell Philip S. Kronenberg August 30, 2002 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: Douglas MacArthur, Administrative Biography, Public Administration Copyright 2002, William J. Tehan III Committee Chairman: John A. Rohr Center for Public Administration and Policy Douglas MacArthur - AN ADMINISTRATIVE BIOGRAPHY by William J. Tehan III Committee Chairman: John A Rohr Center for Public Administration and Policy (ABSTRACT) For more than a half century Douglas MacArthur was a public servant of the United States. He is best remembered as a general and soldier, especially for his leadership during World War II and the Korean War. MacArthur was also the Superintendent of West Point, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Generalissimo (Commander) of the Armed Forces and Military Advisor (Minister of Defense) to the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, and Supreme Commander Allied Powers and Military Governor of occupied Japan. In these positions he functioned not as a soldier, but as a senior public administrator. The dissertation will begin by establishing the military as a valid and unique field of Public Administration. Contributions of military administration to the discipline of Public Administration will then be examined. The dissertation will examine MacArthur's professional and academic training for his previously listed administrative posts. A determination and analysis of MacArthur's theoretical and applied approaches to Public Administration and General Management Theories will be made. The analysis of MacArthur's performance in his administrative positions will be made against a backdrop of contemporary Public Administration Theory. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of many people. I want to express my gratitude to all of them. The staffs of the National Archives, the West Point Library, the MacArthur Archives, the Defense Intelligence Agency Library, and the Breckinridge Library of Quantico,Virginia were particularly helpful in their advice and assistance during my research for this dissertation. I would also express my gratitude to my doctoral committee; Charles T. Goodsell, Philip S. Kronenberg, Gary L. Wamsley, James F. Wolf, and the late Philip L. Martin. These gentlemen and scholars not only read the dissertation, and through their comments and guidance, made it a much better document, but they provided a unique motivational and collegial environment throughout my doctoral studies without which this research would not have been completed. I would like to offer special recognition to John A. Rohr, my doctoral committee chair. His guidance, advise, and encouragement were central to my research and writing. His high standards of scholarship, research, and writing skill not only provided me a goal to attain, but were the significant factors in the completion of this research. iii Preface Because this dissertation is an administrative biography, the basic methodological approach has been that of historical research. First hand interviews and direct access to individu- als directly associated with MacArthur are almost impossible because of their death or advanced age. Access to the National Archives, and MacArthur's papers at West Point and the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk are readily available. My approach has been to conduct a detailed review of the numerous available secondary sources. I did this to determine the primary sources that were examined and provided a focus for additional research that was conducted. I then supplemented the results of my secondary source search by a selective examination of primary sources. MacArthur was keenly aware of his historical importance, and took great pains to insure that his historical legacy would be left intact. MacArthur's extensive personal involvement in the creation and preservation of documents chronicling his place in history posed problems in conducting a historically neutral examination. Indeed a common criticism of previous research and published works on MacArthur has been that they were biased for or against MacArthur. This phenomenon is so recognized and accepted by scholars that D. Clayton James, the defini- tive biographer of MacArthur, was criticized in a book review for being balanced and even- handed in his coverage of so controversial an individual. Some of MacArthur’s papers, such as office diaries, briefing notes, and biographical summaries prepared for meetings with visitors or dignitaries were prepared by his staff. There are also references by MacArthur and his staff to articles and books he had read. These papers and documented references can be used without iv v reference to MacArthur's involvement in his history. These documents have been used to describe and analyze MacArthur's exposure to, and understanding of, managerial and administra- tive theory. Reports that MacArthur wrote, or approved, although valuable historical documents, must be carefully analyzed. This is because, of their preparation for "external consumption." They thus might not always reflect reality, or what was considered in their preparation. In dealing with source documents prepared for external consumption, other primary sources, not written by MacArthur, will be used to corroborate MacArthur's personal documents. The argument of this dissertation is that MacArthur had an identifiable administrative style. This dissertation shows that this administrative style not only complemented his military leadership style, but had a more lasting effect on current world events than his military exploits. The objectives of the study are the subject of the opening chapter of the dissertation. This is followed by chapters describing and analyzing the four "administrative" periods of MacAr- thur's career as Superintendent USMA, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Military Advisor to the President of the Philippines, and Supreme Commander Allied Powers for Japan. The closing chapter relates MacArthur's administrative approach to contemporary Public Administration Theory. MacArthur's academic and professional education are analyzed to determine the basis for his administrative performance and his general approach to administration. Administrative and managerial aspects of MacArthur's career are identified that apply to contemporary administrative theory as well as current theory. This dissertation establishes that MacArthur was not only a military administrator, but a public administrator. It demonstrates that military vi administration is not only part of public administration but an essential part of its theoretical basis and praxis. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................... iii Preface.................................................................... iv Table of Contents............................................................. vi List of Tables........................................... x CHAPTER I. Introduction, Background, and Purpose ..................................... 1 Objectives, Goals, and Purposes ........................................... 2 MacArthur the Public Administrator........................................ 5 The Military and Public Administration ..................................... 9 The Problem..................................................... 9 The Military's Constitutional and Legal Basis ......................... 11 The Military's Functional Basis as a Field of Public Administration ........ 13 The Military's Non-Public Perception ............................... 14 Military Administration and Public Administration's Theoretical Basis ..... 16 The Military Ethic, the Military Mind ............................... 19 The Military's Contributions to Public Administration ...................22 Leadership Theory......................................... 24 PPBS ................................................... 26 The Modern Staff System ................................... 31 II. Literature Review ..................................................... 48 Autobiographies....................................................... 49 Official Histories...................................................... 50 Biographies .......................................................... 52 Historical Works ...................................................... 59 Dissertations.......................................................... 60 Summary of Literature.................................................. 60 III. Professional Education, Training and Early Career ........................... 62 MacArthur's Education and Training as a Public Administrator ................. 64 Ad Interim: West Point to West Point...................................... 72 vii viii A Company Grade Engineer Officer................................. 72 Washington, D.C. 1912-1917: A Springboard to Greatness ................75 World War I.....................................................81 MacArthur Establishes Himself................................81 The 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division ..........................81 The Nature and Environment of MacArthur's Duties ...............86