Part 32 (2/2)
He let that sink in.
”And what did the Supreme Commander have to say to you when he found out what you had done?”
Pickering, without realizing what he was doing, smiled at the memory.
”Why are you smiling, General?”
”Sir . . . When I told General MacArthur, he announced to his staff that it was his clandestine operation.”
Truman smiled back.
” 'Victory has a thousand fathers'? Something like that? He wasn't angry with you?”
”If he was, it didn't show, Mr. President.”
”Ralph tells me that, too,” Truman said. ”That MacArthur seems genuinely fond of you.”
Pickering didn't reply.
”That was really a question, General,” Truman said.
”I'm not sure if 'fond' is the right word, Mr. President,” Pickering replied. ”I admire him-”
”Warts and all?” Truman interrupted.
”The latter overwhelm the former, Mr. President. I think his biggest wart . . . he's something like the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who said, 'It's difficult to be humble when you know you're great.' ”
Truman chuckled.
”I'll have to remember that one,” he said.
”When they made me a sergeant in France, Mr. President, a wise old gunnery sergeant took me aside and told me the worst mistake I could make as a sergeant was to think I could be friends with my men.”
Truman nodded.
”I think MacArthur knows that, practices that. What I suppose I'm saying is that he and Jean are lonely in the residence. Then I show up. Three things: I knew him- slightly-socially in Manila before the war. And I was with him through most of the Second War. And I'm not subordinate to him. And he knows that I like him. For those reasons, they include me in . . . how do I say this? . . . their personal family.”
”In other words, he's not trying to either pick your brain or influence me through you?”
”That, too, sir, frankly.”
”Tell me how you think he's going to act with regard to the new Secretary of Defense, General Marshall.”
”I don't think he had much respect for Secretary Johnson, Mr. President. . . .”
”That wasn't the question.”
”I think he will be pleased to have a soldier as Secretary of Defense, Mr. President.”
”Even one he once described, in an efficiency report, as 'not being fit for regimental command'?” Truman challenged.
”Yes, sir. I know that story, sir. Your question was 'How will he get along with General Marshall?' I don't think there will be any problems in that regard.”
”Did you ever hear that he described General Eisenhower as 'the best clerk I ever had'?” Truman asked.
”Yes, sir. I've heard that story.”
”The United Nations has voted to permit the UN Command-which is of course General MacArthur-to enter North Korea and destroy the North Korean Army,” Truman said. ”You're aware of that, right?”
”Yes, sir.”
”I'm concerned that General MacArthur might cross the Chinese and/or Russian borders, which would give them an excuse to enter the war. I don't want that. Do you think he understands that?”
”Yes, sir. I'm sure he does.”
”How does General MacArthur rate the chances of the Chinese, in particular, entering the war when it becomes apparent that the North Korean Army has been destroyed? Even if we don't cross the border, or bomb across it?”
”I don't think he thinks they'll come in the war, sir.”
”And you?”
”I don't know, Mr. President.”
”You don't have an opinion, or you don't want to disagree with General MacArthur?”
”I don't think the possibility that they might enter the war should be dismissed, sir.”
”I sent the Supreme Commander a personal message- phrased in much the same way as the one I sent you-saying that I would like to talk to him here,” Truman said. ”His reply was that he thought it would be 'unwise at this time' to come here, but he would, of course, if he was ordered to come. I have been wondering if he meant just what he said, or whether, should something go wrong- the Chinese enter the war, for example-while he was here, it would be my fault, because I ordered him to leave the Far East.”
”Sir, I think he's understandably reluctant to give up his command, for any length of time, for any reason.”
”I'm the President, General. I'm the Commander-in-Chief. When I send for somebody, they should come.”
”Sir, you asked my opinion,” Pickering said.
”Yes, I did, and you gave it,” Truman said, and suddenly got to his feet. ”Thank you for your candor, General.”
He started for the door and then turned.
”I'm meeting General MacArthur halfway,” Truman said. ”That is, the Commander-in-Chief of this country is going to get on an airplane and fly to Wake Island and meet one of his generals, who is too busy to come here.”
”Yes, sir,” Pickering said.
”I may decide I want you to go with me. Or would that interfere with your schedule?”
”Mr. President, I'm completely at your disposal.”
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