Editing Douglas MacArthur (section)

===New Guinea Campaign===
{{further|New Guinea Campaign}}

====General Headquarters====
On 18 April 1942, MacArthur was appointed [[Supreme Allied Commander|Supreme Commander]] of Allied Forces in the [[South West Pacific Area (command)|Southwest Pacific Area]] (SWPA). Lieutenant General [[George Brett (general)|George Brett]] became Commander, Allied Air Forces, and Vice Admiral [[Herbert F. Leary]] became Commander, Allied Naval Forces.{{sfn|Gailey|2004|pp=7–14}} Since the bulk of land forces in the theater were Australian, George Marshall insisted an Australian be appointed as Commander, Allied Land Forces, and the job went to General Sir [[Thomas Blamey]]. Although predominantly Australian and American, MacArthur's command also included small numbers of personnel from the Netherlands East Indies, the United Kingdom, and other countries.{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=18–23}}

MacArthur established a close relationship with the prime minister of Australia, [[John Curtin]],<ref name="ADB MacArthur" /> and was probably the second most-powerful person in the country after the prime minister,{{r|ADB Forde}} although many Australians resented MacArthur as a foreign general who had been imposed upon them.{{sfn|Rogers|1990|p=253}} MacArthur had little confidence in Brett's abilities as commander of Allied Air Forces,{{sfn|Gailey|2004|pp=7–14}}{{sfn|Rogers|1990|pp=275–278}}{{sfn|Craven|Cate|1948|pp=417–418}} and in August 1942 selected Major General [[George C. Kenney]] to replace him.{{sfn|James|1975|pp=197–198}}{{sfn|Kenney|1949|p=26}} Kenney's application of air power in support of Blamey's troops would prove crucial.{{sfn|McCarthy|1959|p=488}}

[[File:curtinmacarthur.jpg|thumb|left|Australian prime minister [[John Curtin]] (right) confers with MacArthur.|alt=Two men seated at a table side by side talking. One is wearing a suit, the other a military uniform.]]
The staff of MacArthur's General Headquarters (GHQ) was built around the nucleus that had escaped from the Philippines with him, who became known as the "Bataan Gang".{{sfn|James|1975|p=80}} Though Roosevelt and George Marshall pressed for Dutch and Australian officers to be assigned to GHQ, the heads of all the staff divisions were American and such officers of other nationalities as were assigned served under them.{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=18–23}} Initially located in Melbourne,{{sfn|Rogers|1990|p=202}} GHQ moved to [[Brisbane]]—the northernmost city in Australia with the necessary communications facilities—in July 1942,{{sfn|Milner|1957|p=48}} occupying the Australian Mutual Provident Society building (renamed after the war as [[MacArthur Chambers]]).{{sfn|Rogers|1990|pp=285–287}}

MacArthur formed his own [[signals intelligence]] organization, known as the [[Central Bureau]], from Australian intelligence units and American [[Cryptanalysis|cryptanalysts]] who had escaped from the Philippines.{{sfn|Drea|1992|pp=18–19}} This unit forwarded [[Ultra (cryptography)|Ultra]] information to MacArthur's Chief of Intelligence, [[Charles A. Willoughby]], for analysis.{{sfn|Drea|1992|p=26}} After a press release revealed details of the Japanese naval dispositions during the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], at which a Japanese attempt to capture [[Port Moresby]] was turned back,{{sfn|James|1975|pp=165–166}} Roosevelt ordered that censorship be imposed in Australia, and the [[Advisory War Council (Australia)|Advisory War Council]] granted GHQ censorship authority over the Australian press. Australian newspapers were restricted to what was reported in the daily GHQ communiqué.{{sfn|James|1975|pp=165–166}}{{sfn|Rogers|1990|p=265}} Veteran correspondents considered the communiqués, which MacArthur drafted personally, "a total farce" and "Alice-in-Wonderland information handed out at high level".<ref name="Time 15 January 1951" />

====Papuan Campaign====
Anticipating that the Japanese would strike at Port Moresby again, the garrison was strengthened and MacArthur ordered the establishment of new bases at [[Merauke]] and [[Milne Bay]] to cover its flanks.{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=39–41}} The [[Battle of Midway]] in June 1942 led to consideration of a limited offensive in the Pacific. MacArthur's proposal for an attack on the Japanese base at Rabaul met with objections from the Navy, which favored a less ambitious approach, and objected to an Army general being in command of what would be an [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operation]]. The resulting compromise called for a three-stage advance. The first stage, the [[Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo|seizure of the Tulagi area]], would be conducted by the [[Pacific Ocean Areas (command)|Pacific Ocean Areas]], under Admiral [[Chester W. Nimitz]]. The later stages would be under MacArthur's command.{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=46–48}}

[[File:03 walker macarthur.jpg|thumb|right|Senior Allied commanders in New Guinea in October 1942. Left to right: Mr [[Frank Forde]] (Australian Minister for the Army); MacArthur; General Sir [[Thomas Blamey]], Allied Land Forces; Lieutenant General [[George Kenney|George C. Kenney]], Allied Air Forces; Lieutenant General [[Edmund Herring]], New Guinea Force; Brigadier General [[Kenneth Walker (general)|Kenneth Walker]], V Bomber Command.|alt=Six men wearing a variety of different uniforms.]]
The Japanese struck first, [[Invasion of Buna-Gona|landing at Buna]] in July,{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=53–55}} and at [[Battle of Milne Bay|Milne Bay]] in August. The Australians repulsed the Japanese at Milne Bay,{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=77–88}} but a series of defeats in the [[Kokoda Track campaign]] had a depressing effect back in Australia. On 30 August, MacArthur radioed Washington that unless action was taken, [[New Guinea Force]] would be overwhelmed. He sent Blamey to Port Moresby to take personal command.{{sfn|McCarthy|1959|p=225}} Having committed all available Australian troops, MacArthur decided to send American forces. The [[32nd Infantry Division (United States)|32nd Infantry Division]], a poorly trained National Guard division, was selected.{{sfn|Milner|1957|pp=91–92}} A series of embarrassing reverses in the [[Battle of Buna–Gona]] led to outspoken criticism of the American troops by the Australians. MacArthur then ordered Lieutenant General [[Robert L. Eichelberger]] to assume command of the Americans, and "take Buna, or not come back alive".{{sfn|McCarthy|1959|pp=371–372}}{{sfn|Luvaas|1972|pp=32–33}}

MacArthur moved the advanced echelon of GHQ to Port Moresby on 6 November 1942.{{sfn|McCarthy|1959|p=235}} After Buna finally fell on 3 January 1943,{{sfn|Milner|1957|p=321}} MacArthur awarded the Distinguished Service Cross to twelve officers for "precise execution of operations". This use of the country's second highest award aroused resentment, because while some, like Eichelberger and [[George Alan Vasey]], had fought in the field, others, like Sutherland and Willoughby, had not.{{sfn|James|1975|p=275}} For his part, MacArthur was awarded his third Distinguished Service Medal,{{sfn|MacArthur|1964|p=167}} and the Australian government had him appointed an honorary [[Order of the Bath|Knight Grand Cross of the British Order of the Bath]].<ref name="AWM MacArthur" />

====New Guinea Campaign====
At the Pacific Military Conference in March 1943, the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] approved MacArthur's plan for [[Operation Cartwheel]], the advance on Rabaul.{{sfn|Hayes|1982|pp=312–334}} MacArthur explained his strategy:
{{blockquote|My strategic conception for the Pacific Theater, which I outlined after the Papuan Campaign and have since consistently advocated, contemplates massive strokes against only main strategic objectives, utilizing surprise and air-ground striking power supported and assisted by the fleet. This is the very opposite of what is termed "island hopping" which is the gradual pushing back of the enemy by direct frontal pressure with the consequent heavy casualties which will certainly be involved. Key points must of course be taken but a wise choice of such will obviate the need for storming the mass of islands now in enemy possession. "Island hopping" with extravagant losses and slow progress&nbsp;... is not my idea of how to end the war as soon and as cheaply as possible. New conditions require for solution and new weapons require for maximum application new and imaginative methods. Wars are never won in the past.{{sfn|Willoughby|1966b|p=100}}}}

[[File:General douglas macarthur meets american indian troops wwii military pacific navajo pima island hopping.JPG|thumb|left|MacArthur with Native American codetalkers in the Southwest Pacific]]
Lieutenant General [[Walter Krueger]]'s [[Sixth United States Army|Sixth Army]] headquarters arrived in SWPA in early 1943 but MacArthur had only three American divisions, and they were tired and depleted from the fighting at the Battle of Buna–Gona and the [[Battle of Guadalcanal]]. As a result, "it became obvious that any military offensive in the South-West Pacific in 1943 would have to be carried out mainly by the Australian Army".{{sfn|Dexter|1961|p=12}} The offensive began with the [[landing at Lae]] by the [[9th Division (Australia)|Australian 9th Division]] on 4 September 1943. The next day, MacArthur watched the [[landing at Nadzab]] by [[Airborne forces|paratroops]] of the [[503rd Infantry Regiment (United States)|503rd Parachute Infantry]]. His B-17 made the trip on three engines because one failed soon after leaving Port Moresby, but he insisted that it fly on to Nadzab.{{sfn|James|1975|p=327}} For this, he was awarded the [[Air Medal]].{{sfn|MacArthur|1964|p=179}}

The [[7th Division (Australia)|Australian 7th]] and 9th Divisions converged on Lae, which fell on 16 September. MacArthur advanced his timetable, and ordered the 7th to capture [[Battle of Kaiapit|Kaiapit]] and [[Finisterre Range campaign|Dumpu]], while the 9th mounted an [[Huon Peninsula campaign|amphibious assault on Finschhafen]]. Here, the offensive bogged down, partly because MacArthur had based his decision to assault Finschhafen on Willoughby's assessment that there were only 350 Japanese defenders at Finschhafen, when in fact there were nearly 5,000. A furious battle ensued.{{sfn|James|1975|pp=328–329}}

In early November, MacArthur's plan for a westward advance along the coast of New Guinea to the Philippines was incorporated into plans for the war against Japan.{{sfn|James|1975|pp=364–365}}{{sfn|Hayes|1982|pp=487–490}} Three months later, airmen reported no signs of enemy activity in the [[Admiralty Islands]]. Although Willoughby did not agree that the islands had been evacuated, MacArthur ordered an amphibious landing there, commencing the [[Admiralty Islands campaign]]. He accompanied the assault force aboard the [[light cruiser]] {{USS|Phoenix|CL-46|2}}, the flagship of Vice Admiral [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]], the new commander of the Seventh Fleet, and came ashore seven hours after the first wave of landing craft, for which he was awarded the [[Bronze Star]].{{sfn|MacArthur|1964|p=189}} It took six weeks of fierce fighting before the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] captured the islands.{{sfn|Willoughby|1966b|pp=137–141}}

MacArthur had one of the most powerful PR machines of any Allied general during the war, which made him into an extremely popular war hero with the American people.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=654}} In late 1943–early 1944, there was a serious effort by the conservative faction in the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] centered in the Midwest to have MacArthur seek the Republican nomination to be the candidate for the presidency in the [[1944 United States presidential election|1944 election]], as they regarded the two men most likely to win the Republican nomination, namely [[Wendell Willkie]] and Governor [[Thomas E. Dewey]] of New York, as too liberal.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=654}} For a time, MacArthur, who had long seen himself as a potential president, was in the words of the U.S. historian [[Gerhard Weinberg]] "very interested" in running as the Republican candidate in 1944.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=654}} However, MacArthur's vow to "return" to the Philippines had not been fulfilled in early 1944 and he decided not to run for president until he had liberated the Philippines.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=655}}
[[File:FDR, MacArthur, Leahy and Nimitz cph.3c35317.jpg|thumb|right|Conference in Hawaii, July 1944. Left to right: General MacArthur, President Roosevelt, Admiral Leahy, Admiral Nimitz.|alt=Three men are seated in lounge chairs. One is standing, holding a long stick and pointing to the location of Japan on a wall map of the Pacific.]]

Furthermore, Weinberg had argued that it is probable that Roosevelt, who knew of the "enormous gratuity" MacArthur had accepted from Quezon in 1942, had used his knowledge of this transaction to blackmail MacArthur into not running for president.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=1084}} Finally, despite the best efforts of the conservative Republicans to put MacArthur's name on the ballot, on 4 April 1944, Governor Dewey won such a convincing victory in the Wisconsin primary (regarded as a significant victory given that the Midwest was a stronghold of the conservative Republicans opposed to Dewey) as to ensure that he would win the Republican nomination to be the GOP's candidate for president in 1944.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=655}}

MacArthur bypassed the Japanese forces at [[Hansa Bay]] and [[Wewak]], and assaulted [[Landing at Hollandia|Hollandia]] and [[Landing at Aitape|Aitape]], which Willoughby reported being lightly defended based on intelligence gathered in the [[Battle of Sio]]. MacArthur's bold thrust by going 600 miles up the coast had surprised and confused the Japanese high command, who had not anticipated that MacArthur would take such risks.{{sfn|Weinberg|2004|p=653}} Although they were out of range of the Fifth Air Force's fighters based in the [[Ramu|Ramu Valley]], the timing of the operation allowed the aircraft carriers of Nimitz's [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]] to provide air support.{{sfn|Willoughby|1966b|pp=142–143}}

Though risky, the operation turned out to be another success. MacArthur caught the Japanese off balance and cut off Lieutenant General [[Hatazō Adachi]]'s [[Eighteenth Army (Japan)|Japanese XVIII Army]] in the Wewak area. Because the Japanese were not expecting an attack, the garrison was weak, and Allied casualties were correspondingly light. However, the terrain turned out to be less suitable for airbase development than first thought, forcing MacArthur to seek better locations further west. While bypassing Japanese forces had great tactical merit, it had the strategic drawback of tying up Allied troops to contain them. Moreover, Adachi was far from beaten, which he demonstrated in the [[Battle of Driniumor River]].{{sfn|Taaffe|1998|pp=100–103}}