Marshal MacArthur's farewell speech

Hello, very nice to meet you.

Marshal MacArthur's farewell speech / Marshal Douglas MacArthur

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, and distinguished members of the National Assembly

It is with deep humility and pride—humility to follow in the footsteps of the great builders of American history who came before me—that this legislative forum represents human freedom in the purest form ever devised. I stand on this podium with pride in what I believe I can do.

Here are concentrated the hopes, aspirations and beliefs of all mankind.

I am not here to advocate for any partisan cause. Because the issues are fundamental and completely beyond the realm of partisan interests. In the best national interest, those issues must be resolved if we are to prove that our course is right and that our future is protected.

Therefore, I trust that you will do me justice by accepting what I have to say simply as the thoughtful expression of a fellow American.

I speak to you in the twilight of my life, not out of any malice or bitterness, but with one purpose in mind: to serve my country.

Although the President did not consult with me before deciding to intervene in aid to the Republic of Korea, that decision has proven to be correct from a military standpoint. As I tell you, that decision proved to be correct as we defeated the invaders and decimated their military capabilities. Our victory was complete and our goal was within reach. At that time, the Chinese army intervened by mobilizing numerically superior ground forces.

This gave rise to a new war and a completely new situation. This situation was unthinkable when our troops were deployed against North Korean invaders. This situation called for new decisions in the field of diplomacy to allow for a realistic adjustment of military strategy. These decisions could not be made quickly.

No one in their right mind would agree to send our ground forces to mainland China, and we have never even considered such a thing, but if our political goal was to defeat this new enemy just as we defeated the first one, then this new situation is strategic. There was an urgent call for drastic changes.

The tragedy of Korea is that military action is limited to its territorial limits, so that the country we are trying to save is destined to suffer the devastating effects of full-scale naval bombardment and air strikes, while the enemy's hideouts are completely immune from such attacks and devastation. It is further heightened by the fact that it is protected.

Among the many countries in the world, Korea has been the only country that has risked everything against communism. The great courage and indomitable spirit of the Korean people cannot be expressed in words. They decided to risk death rather than become slaves. These were the last words they said to me.

“Don’t give up on the Pacific.”

I have just left your sons fighting in Korea. They endured every trial there, and I can tell you without hesitation that they were excellent in every way.

I worked tirelessly to protect them and bring this barbaric war to an honorable end with minimal loss of time and casualties. The increasing bloodshed has caused me profound pain and anxiety. Those brave soldiers will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.

I am about to finish my 52 years of military service. When I joined the military just before the turn of the century, it was the realization of all my boyhood hopes and dreams.

The world has changed many times since I was sworn in on the plains of West Point, and hopes and dreams have long since disappeared, but I still remember, 'Old soldiers never die; I remember the refrain of one of the barracks' most popular songs at the time, which confidently declared, 'It's only going to disappear.'

And like the veteran in that song, I am now ending my career as a soldier and disappearing just as a veteran who tried to do his duty because God gave him the ability to know that mission. Goodbye.