Great Generals are not born, they are made. In the history of the United States Army there have been numerous Generals that have stood out in their own time and throughout history. World War II provided the canvas for many leaders to paint their selves in their own vision to be paraded in front of the whole world. Among these leaders were General Douglas MacArthur and General George Patton. Although they ended the war with great accomplishments, how they did it are two very different stories. The major differences between MacArthur and Patton were how they accomplished their mission, how they each used the media to project their ideas onto the public, and how well their Soldiers perceived them.
The most important task that a Soldier can do is to accomplish their mission. Although MacArthur defeated the Japanese and brought World War II to a closure, he was assigned as the “head of the American military mission to the new Philippine Commonwealth” for six years to prepare for a potential Japanese invasion (“MacArthur” para 2). Within days of hostilities, MacArthur’s forces were dramatically degraded and forced into retreat. On the other hand, Patton’s entire vision
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When MacArthur declared in his speech after his retreat to Australia, “I shall return” it was his own personal objective. MacArthur used the media to sway the opinion towards recapturing the Philippine’s although there was no obvious military objective. Patton also enjoyed the presence of the media, but unlike MacArthur was cautious of the negative stories that came from his often profanity filled speeches and harsh treatments towards his soldiers early in the war. While in England, Patton acquired a new sense of the media, using it to show the lighter side of himself during speeches and consistently told the press assigned to him either do not quote him or that the conversation was off the