Before one takes too much stock of why someone does not like so and so they might ask themselves why. Often it has to do with a matter or matters that involved them with that person. In that case possibly other questions need to be ask.
Recently I just finished reading the book The General vs The President--H.W. Brands. A book I found hard to put down. This illustrated my thoughts.
I think it would be hard to argue that both men, General, Douglas MacArthur and the President Harry Truman were not great men. I would take issue with anyone that would say otherwise. I think they both proved of great value to their country. But both me did not particularly like one another.
Truman relieved, fired MacArthur of his duties in Korea during the Korean War. "I didn't fire him because he was the dumbest s.o.b. (I cleaned it up a bit) I ever knew, although he was, but because he would not respect authority." The General often referenced Truman by saying, "He can't make the hard decisions." And in both cases they each made some other rather strong remarks of one another. Often in private. Which is generally best.
One of the things I came away with after reading the book was really the positive effect that MacArthur leadership and role in Japan after WW II. How he set things in order to bring peace and stability back to that war torn country and the respect he established with the people of Japan. MacArthur became a very popular person in Japan after the WW II.
Brands in his book says of the general: "The Japanese had expect harsh treatment from their conquerors, not least because of the brutality their solders had meted out to the peoples they had conquered. But MacArthur made clear from the beginning that he was a different kind of conqueror." I don't think one can argue that today Japan holds it place in the world because attitude of the United States and its man in charge there after the war, MacArthur.
Likewise Truman. Who can argue with any seriousness that he was not a great leader, a great man, a good president. Historian today generally rank Truman within the top five of the greatest of Presidents.
Interesting footnote on Truman, he left office with one of the lowest ratings of popularity of any president. Time has a way of review.
My point is anytime we hear someone, anyone critical of the local politician, teacher, lawyer, business owner, banker, whatever we might think a bit deeper than just buy into the criticism that we are hearing. Ask ourselves, "Why is he or she so critical of this one?" Just because someone else does not like another should not be the sole factor or take away our respect for that one.
Often one can be given too much credit for good that is genuinely in them and also too much statements of bad that is not a part of them.
I think our country owes both MacArthur and Truman a vote of respect. Let them handle their differences. In fact as I get older I'm kinda of that position, stay out of a lot of criticism you hear and let the parties involved resolve their matters.
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July 22, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson