Episode 15: MacArthur vs. Truman with H.W. Brands

At the height of the Korean War, Harry Truman, the accidental POTUS who ascended to the White House after the death of FDR, engaged in a contest of wills with Douglas MacArthur, a titanic global figure with an enormous ego. Much of the country was stunned when Truman, considered a lightweight on the national stage, fired the recalcitrant general with the U.S. edging closer to nuclear war. MacArthur vs. Truman was a defining moment in the Korean War and a flashpoint for civil-military norms. The standoff between Truman and MacArthur is not only a compelling bit of history, it’s also a story that offers much wisdom for the Nation today. This is a tale rich with critical lessons for today’s military leadership: lessons about civil-mil relations, the role of military advice, and the intersection of politics and war. No one is better suited to reveal that wisdom than Dr. H.W. Brands. Dr. Brands is one of the most prominent American historians working today and the author of the 2106 book “The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War.”   The author of more than 30 books, a Pulitzer finalist, a frequent presence on the History Channel, and the senior historian at the University of Texas at Austin, H.W. Brands brings a remarkable depth of research and a mastery of storytelling to this episode of the18th Airborne Corps podcast. In discussion with host Joe Buccino, Dr. Brands describes the global security conditions that set the Korean War in motion. He explains the motives of the two men at the heart of this story. He dispels some myths about Truman and reveals some hard truths about MacArthur. Anyone involved in leadership or decision-making around national security will gain insight from this discussion. Anyone interested in the Korean War will learn from H.W. Brands. It’s certainly worth the 35 minutes. Recorded on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with a new episode released every Tuesday morning, the 18th Airborne Corps podcast is the official podcast of the U.S. Army. The program is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, YouTube, and PodBean. We encourage you to tell others about the program and to leave a review and a five-star rating for the program on Apple Podcast as doing so will help others find the show.