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While I was not consulted prior to the President's decision to intervene in support of the Republic of Korea, that decision from a military standpoint, proved a sound one, as we hurled back the invader and decimated his forces. Our victory was complete, and our objectives within reach, when Red China intervened with numerically superior ground forces.

Douglas MacArthur#24

WarStrategyVictoryMilitaryKoreaIntervention

About this quote

What does it mean?
The decision to support Korea was sound militarily until Red China intervened with superior forces. The victory was nearly complete before intervention.
In plain terms
Supporting Korea was a good decision and we were winning until China intervened with more troops.
What can you take from it?
Military interventions can succeed until external forces change the balance.

Where it applies

  • military intervention
  • international conflict
  • strategy assessment

Putting it to work

  • assess intervention risks
  • monitor enemy strength
  • plan for escalation

Questions to consider

  • How do we anticipate external intervention?
  • Was the intervention justified?

Another view

Intervention decisions often have unforeseen geopolitical consequences.

More from Douglas MacArthur

  1. The Japanese people, since the war, have undergone the greatest reformation recorded in modern history. With a commendable will, eagerness to learn, and marked…

    Permalink to quote #23
  2. While no man in his right mind would advocate sending our ground forces into continental China, and such was never given a thought, the new situation did urgen…

    Permalink to quote #25
  3. China, up to 50 years ago, was completely non-homogenous, being compartmented into groups divided against each other. The war-making tendency was almost non-ex…

    Permalink to quote #22

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