The Fifties

by David Halberstam

“Every hour that this is postponed will be paid for dearly in American and other United Nations blood.... I cannot overemphasize the disastrous effect both physical and psychological that will result from the restrictions which you are imposing ...” He ended the cable with a barely concealed threat: Failure to do as he said would result in “a calamity of major proportions for which I cannot accept the responsibility without his [Truman’s] personal and direct understanding of the situation.” It was a stunning reversal on MacArthur’s part: Until then he had been saying with great disdain that the Chinese would not come in; now he seemed to be promising a slaughter of his own men. What he had said would never happen was happening. Characteristically, MacArthur made no apology for what might normally be viewed as a mistake of apocalyptic proportions, the failure to judge accurately both Chinese intentions and his ability to detect and confront them.