5+MacArthur+Gets+the+Boot

Perhaps one of Truman's most difficult choices in the Korean war, came in the form of dismissing General MacArthur from command of the United Nations forces in Korea. According to historians, "The Truman administration said that the United States was fighting a 'limited war' and that it wanted a diplomatic settlement, but MacArthur repeatedly and publicly insisted on taking the war to China by, for example, bombing Chinese bases beyond the Yalu, in Manchuria. Thumbing his nose at Truman's authority as commander in Chief he disparaged the administration's Korean policies as tantamount to the 'appeasement of communism' and declared, 'there is no substitute for victory.' On April 11, 1951, Truman, backed by a unanimous recommendation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, removed MacArthur from command, emphasizing that he could not tolerate such a challenge to presidential authority" (Maier 813). Truman is often credited with prevented a third world war by sacking MacArthur. Had the United States escalated the war into Chinese borders, it's more than possible that what was meant to be a "limited war" would turn into an all out brawl between East and West. By keeping MacArthur in command, Truman risked creating a larger war with every passing day. Thus, the dismissal of General MacArthur, a beloved war hero to many Americans, seems to have been the most responsible course of action the president could have made.
 * A Hero's Farewell**