"The Fate of the Generals," Jonathan Horn

 For the benefit of new readers and as a reminder to older ones, these short essays on books are not critical reviews. They are simply brief write-ups on books I have enjoyed.

 

Yesterday was the first full day of summer, and what a beaut it turned out to be, with temperatures in the 80s, a slight breeze, and a family lunch at the beach. 

 

 

Sydney M. Williams

 

Burrowing into Books

The Fate of the Generals, Jonathan Horn

June 22, 2025

 

“In those desperate days, the United States had needed two very

different generals: one for the headlines and one for the front lines.”

                                                                                                                                Jonathan Horn

                                                                                                                                The Fate of the Generals

 

“War is hell,” is a truism popularized by General William Tecumseh Sherman during the American Civil War. In The Gathering Storm, Winston Churchill wrote: “In war as in life, it is often necessary when some cherished scheme has failed, to take up the best alternative open, and if so, it is folly not to work for it with all your might.” In war there are choices, but none that are perfect. 

 

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Jonathan Horn tells the stories of Generals Douglas MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright who found themselves in the Philippines at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Both men were born into military families. MacArthur’s father won the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863. After the Spanish-American War, he served as Military Governor of the Philippines. Wainwright’s grandfather was a naval officer who was killed during the Battle of Galveston in 1863, and his father died in the Philippines while serving as an U.S. Army Officer during the pacification period. Both MacArthur and Wainwright were first captains of their respective West Point classes. 

 

The Philippines lie strategically, south of Japan, China and Taiwan. To the west is the South China Sea and the India Ocean, and to the east is the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. At the time, the Philippines were transitioning from a Protectorate of the United States to full independence. General MacArthur was the Commander of U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East, which gave him command of all U.S. and Philippine military forces. General Wainwright was commander of the North Luzon Force and the senior field commander of Filipino and U.S. forces, under General MacArthur. 

 

The first six months of the War went Japan’s way, at least until the Battle of Midway in early June when the U.S. Navy decisively defeated the Japanese Imperial Navy. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese invaded the Philippines; on Christmas day Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese; Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942, and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) in March. Under orders from President Roosevelt, General MacArthur left the Philippines on March 11, promising to return. General Wainwright stayed behind, knowing his position was hopeless. On May 6, 1942, he raised the white flag. While MacArthur realized his promise in October 1944, Wainwright and close to 70,000 American and Filipino Soldiers endured the Bataan death march and imprisonment over the next three-plus years, until the Japanese surrender was announced on August 15, 1945. Fewer than half survived.

 

Using primary sources, Jonathan Horn contrasts the fates that were in store for MacArthur and Wainwright, two very different men. While MacArthur’s words and actions have long been controversial, the author neither reveres nor demonizes the man. Facts are presented. Judgement is left to the reader.