MacArthur Memorial Podcast

Douglas MacArthur was in the Corps of Engineers from 1903 to 1917. D. Clayton James, a MacArthur biographer, titled a chapter and a sub-chapter about this period of MacArthur's career: "The Travels and Tribulations of a Young Engineer," and "The Brink of Oblivion."

In this latest episode, MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams discuss MacArthur's time in the Corps of Engineers and how it may have influenced the rest of his career. This episode also includes a bonus Q&A of listener questions that were recorded after the initial program. 

YouTube Initial Program: Douglas MacArthur and the Corps of Engineers

YouTube Q&A: MacArthur the Corps of Engineers Q&A

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

MacArthur had a deep, lifelong connection to West Point. In this episode, Sherman Fleek, author of MacArthur and West Point: How the General and the Academy Shaped Each Other, joined the MacArthur Memorial Podcast to discuss this important part of MacArthur's life and legacy.

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

Operation Olympic was the first phase of Operation Downfall—the Allied plan to invade Japan and end World War II. Set for November 1, 1945, this massive amphibious assault on Kyushu was canceled after Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union’s declaration of war.

In this episode, MacArthur Memorial historians Amanda Williams and Jim Zobel break down the operation’s objectives, scale, and historical context. This episode also includes a bonus Q&A of listener questions that were recorded after the initial program. 

YouTube Initial Program: Operation Olympic

YouTube Q&A: Operation Olympic Q&A

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

On August 23, 2025, the MacArthur Memorial hosted Finale in the Pacific, a half day exploration of the end of the Pacific War. The event was a partnership between the MacArthur Memorial, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, and the Military Aviation Museum. One of the presenters, Dr. Timothy Orr discussed some of the final air engagements of the war.

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

On August 23, 2025, the MacArthur Memorial hosted Finale in the Pacific, a half day exploration of the end of the Pacific War. The event was a partnership between the MacArthur Memorial, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, and the Military Aviation Museum. One of the presenters, historian Dennis M. Giangreco, discussed President Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb. 

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

In March 2025, General Douglas MacArthur’s iconic cap won the Virginia Association of Museums People’s Choice Award as an important artifact deserving conservation. Inspired by this designation, the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the MacArthur Memorial, launched a global fundraising campaign to preserve this iconic piece of history. Thanks to the incredible generosity of donors worldwide, conservation began in July 2025, and the cap returned to public display in August 2025. To discuss the conservation of this historic treasure, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Howard Sutcliffe, the cap's conservator and the principal conservator and director of River Region Costume and Textile Conservation.

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

General Douglas MacArthur and General Jonathan Wainwright were very different men. Despite their differences, they shared notable similarities: both came from military families, graduated from West Point, and were decorated World War I veterans. They were also deeply devoted to the Army and driven by a strong sense of duty. Their relationship, largely shaped by the desperate defense and fall of the Philippines during World War II, was complex yet remarkably resilient. To delve deeper into their story, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Jonathan Horn, author of The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines. 

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces invaded South Korea, aiming to unify the peninsula under communist control. The conflict rapidly escalated, prompting a United Nations response led by the United States. When the war started, MacArthur, then Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan, was overseeing the post-World War II occupation and reconstruction of Japan. In this episode, MacArthur Memorial historians Amanda Williams and Jim Zobel discuss MacArthur's initial response to the war. This episode also includes a bonus Q&A of listener questions that were recorded after the main program. 

YouTube Version: MacArthur's Initial Response to the Korean War

YouTube Q&A: MacArthur's Initial Response to the Korean War Q&A

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

On May 8, 2025, the MM in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Virginia Holocaust Museum, hosted Dr. Roger Loria, a holocaust survivor. 

The event was particularly poignant – it was held on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day – the day the Allies defeated Nazi Germany. 

A video of the presentation is also available via YouTube: https://youtu.be/nltcQ4eKIgU?si=qsTn9-DI2gZ5qp-u  

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org

On April 11, 1951, at 1:00AM ET, President Harry S. Truman announced General Douglas MacArthur was relieved of command. Millions of people heard the news on the radio before MacArthur himself heard. How did he find out? MacArthur Memorial historians Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams discuss this and his reaction to the news.

A bonus Q&A of listener questions was also added to the end of this episode.

Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can only read the texts, we can't reply)

Support the show

Follow us on:

Twitter: @MacArthur1880; @AEWilliamsClark
Facebook: @MacArthurMemorial


www.macarthurmemorial.org