MacArthur's Limitations

With the sanction of the United Nations, the American Joint Cheifs of Staff directed General MacArthur to proceed north across the 38th parallel. THe general was not given a completely free hand, however. There was some fear that either China or the Soviet Union might enter the conflict, an event that all concerned wished to avoid. THerefore, MacArthur's instructions contained limitations. He could move north of the 38th parallel and try to destroy the North Korean army with the objective of unifying Korea. But these instructions should not be followed if MacArthur's forces encountered Soviet of Chinese troops. MacArthur was told not to cross the Manchurian border that separated North from communist China. He was denied permission to use Chang Kai-shek's Chinese troops on Formosa because this act would anger the Chinese communists. He was to use only South Korean troops, not American soldiers or marines, near the Manchurian border in order to avoid Chinese freas of an American invasion of China. President Truman felt uneasy about MacArthur's willingness to ovserve these limitations. He feared that MacArthur might ignore his instructions and press on even if he did encounter Chinese troops. This fear was prompted by the fact that MacArthur had publicly announced that he did not agree with the UN objectives. So on October 15, 1950, Truman flew to Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean to meet with MacArthur. Neither man looked forward to the encounter. On the way to the Wake Island meeting, the president wrote to a family member that he was off to "talk to God's right hand man." Before leaving Tokyo, the general made reference to "the damned State Department, Truman and Communists." MacArthur would remain on guard against the evil, people in control. At Wake Island, Truman emphasized that the United Nations had only limited objectives, namely, the liberation of Korea and, If possible, the establishmet of a democratic government under Syngman Rhee. MacArthur assured the president that he inteded to carefully follow these instructions. The general told the president he did not expect the Chinese to intervene. MacArthur told Truman that at most, the Chinese could put sixty thousand troops into the field and that the UN forces could destroy such a force as soon as it crossed the Yalu River and entered Korea. General MacArthur also told Truman that he anticipated his operation would be completed by Thanksgiving and that American troops would leave Korea soon after. Truman accepted MacArthur's assessment. He wanted MacArthur to be right because he hoped to gain political support as a result of a successful conclusion to the Korean conflict. Besides, MacArthur's opinions on the Chinese situation were shared by some of Truman's own advisers. As recently as September 13, 1950, Dean Acheson had expressed similar views on the subjectof communist China: I should think it would be sheer madness on the part of the Chinese Communists to [Interfere]. Now, I give the people in Beijing credit for being intelligent enough to see what is happening to them. Why they would want to further their own dismemberment and destruction by getting at cross purposes with all the free nations of the world who are inherently their friends and have always been the friends of the Chinese against this imperialism coming down from the Soviet Union I cannot see.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff seemed to be in agreement. Indeed, Gen. Omar Bradley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the president that "no unilateral move by Red China" could be expected because the country "lacked the military power." Clearly, Bradley discounted the possibility of a Chinese attack. So UN troops, under the overall direction of MacArthur in Tokyo, prepared to march north. MacArthur flew to Korea to see the campaign get started. He gathered together his corps commanders for an encouraging send-off. "Gentlemen," MacArthur told his officers,

The war is over. The Chinese are not coming into this war.- In less than two weeks the Eighth army will close on the Yalu across the entire front. The 3rd Division will be back at Fort Benning for Christmas dinner.