Farewell speech

This is my report on seminor of Yuji Sato. This class is very hard to me, but I could study about Dauglas Macathur. I had thought that he is dreadful person, because he were sun glasses and he smoke like this. But After taking this class his image was changed. He hoped peace.

　This speech was performed on April19, 1951. What he wanted the most in this speech is how to deal with the Korean War, and rightness himself. This speech has historical background, so it is hard to understand. He is the elite. He graduated from the army school where west point is, and he had commanded a lot of war. So his speech is very dignified. He is fired when he suggested that fall a nuclear bomb. He had thought small war makes the situation worse, and it needs longtime. So he suggested to fall the bomb.

In this speech, MacArthur picks up Asia. Japan is the only country which suffered a nuclear bomb. He says “the Japanese people, since the war, have undergone the greatest reformation record in modern history.” This implies his action that falling the bomb is successful. But I don’t think it is a successful incident. Because there are a lot peoples suffer from it, and there are a lot of victims. But certainly Japanese economy ascend, the levels of lifestyles of Japanese people go up, and it makes Japanese peoples mind calm down. He praises Japanese people in understand, spirits and so on. He appeals the importance of Asia, and praises Asia. When this speech was delivered, there was war caused by liberalism and socialism. The top of liberalism was The United States of America, and the top of socialism was Soviet. They need to make friends with Asian countries. Because Asia is the key of this war. MacArthur speaks about China, Japan, Philippines and Korea. First China, up to 50 years ago, was completely non-homogenous, being compartmented into groups divided against each other. And history of this country is very old, so it is representative country of Asia. But China was one of socialistic country. So he says China as Red China. He speaks that China is a socialistic country but differ from Soviet. China acts to widen their land, he says. And next he speaks about Japan. Japan was fallen a nuclear bomb. But after that incident, he works hard for Japan and for himself. Japan developed after that incident. In this speech he praises Japan very much. This means his rightness that nuclear is a appropriate means, and America get friends with Japan. He says “politically, economically, and socially Japan is now abreast of many free nations of the earth and will not again fail the universal trust.” This means now Japan becomes liberal country, and it means to support America too. He shows Japan as a successful example by nuclear bomb. Next, he speaks about Philippines. Philippines were one of the former wards of America. Why he picked up Philippines? I think he wanted to get trust of Filipino to win socialism. The main point of this speech is about Korean War. This war is a conflict between liberalism and socialism. This war divided Korea into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). North Korea is socialistic country, on the other hand, South Korea is liberal country. This war began 1950 and ended 1953. Soviet and China backed up North Korea, and the army of North Korea got a lot of power, it makes America frighten. But America couldn’t make decision quickly and appropriately. MacAthur says “the new situation did urgently demand a drastic revision of strategic planning.” It means America should fall a nuclear bomb. He thought nuclear bomb wold finish this war quickly and less victims.

He says that war is powerless to make peace. Now war’s power is too strong to get real peace. The best peaceful world is no war world. But if start a war, the most effective way is to finish it quickly. I had thought he is warmonger before, but the truth is he seeks peace. In the Japanese constitution, there is abandonment of war. It reflects his hope. It is difficult to adopt this spirit to American. So he hopped to make this law to renewed Japan.(725)