William Manchester

“You will exercise your authority as you deem proper . . .”the President told the newly appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in 1945; . . your authority is supreme.” Douglas MacArthur needed no urging. This is the story of how one man, imperious, arrogant, often infuriating, and as often wise, made possible Japan’s rise from the ashes to its influential position in the world today.

“As he grew older, he grew worse,” was the epitaph Mencken suggested for himself. But, like other ideas of his, that was not a widely held opinion.