Douglas MacArthur, January 26, 1880 - April 5, 1964 Douglas MacArthur was born on January 26, 1880 in Little Rock, Arkansas to General Arthur MacArthur and his wife. He graduated with top honors from the U. S. Military Academy in 1903 and became an engineer officer. He first toured the Orient as his father's aide before serving as the aid to President Theodore Roosevelt. MacArthur became the Army's first public relations officer. In World War I, MacArthur reached the rank of General. From 1919 til 1922, he was the Superintendent of West Point. He was then given the position of command of the Philippine Department, which was followed by his appointment to Army Chief of Staff in 1930, a post… he held for five years. He stepped down in 1935 to serve as Chief Military Advisor to the Philippine Government until 1941, when he was called in to command troops in the Philippines. MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia after to failing to hold against the Japanese. He served as Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific and led a combined force of American and Australian forces to retake islands seized by Japan in the beginning of the war. he reconquered the Philippines in 1945 and was promoted to General. Again, MacArthur was promoted, this time to Supreme Commander of Allied Forces. He accepted the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945. During the Allied occupation of Japan, MacArthur demilitarized the country and implemented a policy of social, economic and political reform. After the war, MacArthur made a bid for the Republican Presidential Nomination in 1948 but did not receive it. In June of 1950, he was named UN Commander of Forces when North Korea invaded South Korea. He forced the Communist North Koreans out of South Korea, all the way to the Chinese border. At this point, China sent troops into Korea. MacArthur wanted to expand the fight to include China, and criticized both the politicians and his fellow Generals for their lack of initiative. Because of his unveiled criticism, President Harry S. Truman relieved MacArthur of his command in April of 1957. MacArthur retired from the Army and became Chairman of the Board of Remington Rand Corporation. He died on April 5, 1964 in Washington, D. C..