General Douglas MacArthur. Wasn’t he fired by Truman during the Korean War? Well, yes, and so much more. The MacArthur Memorial is a history lesson, not just about the career of one of America’s greatest generals, but about America itself.
The Memorial occupies the former city hall and courthouse (1850) in downtown Norfolk as well as three surrounding buildings: a theatre, a gift shop and the archives. Your visit should begin in the theatre where a short filmed biography of MacArthur begins every half hour. The film effectively places MacArthur in his spot in history. The theatre lobby contains an exhibit tracing the American presence in the Philippines and the internment of American civilians during World War II.
Moving from the theatre into the memorial, the visitor finds the tombs of MacArthur and his wife under the rotunda. In a surround under the dome are engraved the names of the battles in which MacArthur was involved from St. Mihiel in WW I to the Yalu River. From that point, the visitor follows a time line of photos, artifacts and narrative beginning with an immigrant family in 1827. His father, a veteran of the Civil War, the Indian Wars and the Spanish American war, rose to the highest rank in the American army. Born on an army base, Douglas MacArthur would begin his career at West Point in 1899. The time line follows his career through to the Korean War… a fascinating story and a story worth visiting.
Truman did remove MacArthur from his leadership post during the Korean War; MacArthur chafed under restrictions placed on him by the administration. Over 33,600 Americans were killed during the war for an indecisive result… not MacArthur’s vision. As he said, "There can be no substitute for victory… for history teaches us with unmistakable emphasis that appeasement but begets new and bloodier war." MacArthur would later advise President Kennedy to keep American troops out of Southeast Asia; perhaps he foresaw a repeat of his Korean experience.
We were extremely impressed with the entire experience. Finish with a visit to the gift shop if only to see his 1950 limousine. Admission to the site, which is open daily, is free and if you park in the MacArthur Centre across the street, you can have your ticket validated at the memorial. From the beach, take 22nd Street to I-264. In Norfolk, take exit 10 (City Hall), the MacArthur Centre parking garage will come up quickly on your right.