World War II Database

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25 Nov 1950

ww2dbaseNov 25 '50

Wake Island.

We arrived at dawn. Gen. MacArthur was at the airport with his shirt unbuttoned, wearing a greasy ham and eggs cap that evidently had been in use for twenty years.

He greeted the President cordially and after the photographers had finished their usual picture orgy the President and the General boarded an old two door sedan and drove to the quarters of the airline manager on the Island.

For more than an hour they discussed the Japanese and Korean situation.

The General assured the President that the victory was won in Korea, that Japan was ready for a peace treaty and that the Chinese Communists would not attack.

A general discussion was carried about Formosa. The General brought up his statement to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which had been ordered withdrawn by the President. The General said that he was sorry for any embarrassment he'd caused, that he was not in politics at the time and that the politicians had made a "chomp" (his word) of him in 1948 and that it would not happen again. He assured the President that he had no political ambitions.

He again said the Chinese Commies would not attack, that we had won the war and that we could send a Division to Europe from Korea in January 1951. ww2dbase

Source(s):
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

Added By:
C. Peter Chen

Photographs

See all 4 photographs of Truman's Secretary's Memo of Truman-MacArthur Meeting at Wake

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