What We Didn't Know 

 Capt. Toti, part 2 

     Gen. MacArthur's "three-word quote forced Roosevelt into a strategic campaign that likely lengthened the war by months and increased Allied casualties by tens of thousands." 

     "MacArthur orchestrated his own award of the Medal of Honor ... for defending, and I point out, losing, the Philippines. MacArthur's excess body count extended beyond the Philippines - for example, 1,200 unnecessary dead when he organized the taking of Peleliu to 'protect my flank.' Peleliu is 730 miles away from Leyte. That would be like Sherman capturing Oklahoma City while advancing on Atlanta." 

     "His return to the Philippines delayed the Okinawa (final) offensive ... by more than six months, burning though vast military resources. It also generated more than 60,000 American casualties ... 150,000 fatalities among the Filipino population that MacArthur claimed to have been trying to protect."

     "Adm. Bull Halsey had a dark side. Dehumanizing the enemy makes it easier to kill them and has been common throughout history. He extended his pronouncements beyond enemy combatants to Japanese civilians. 'The only good Jap is a Jap that's been dead for six months.' 'When we get to Tokyo ... we'll have a little celebration where Tokyo was.' 'Before we're through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell.'" 

     "What matters is the human cost ... the effect his words likely had on the progress of the war. Soon, Halsey's fame exceeded that of Nimitz himself. He reveled in it. His hyperbole hardened Japanese resolve. His statements (gave) the perception that Japanese would not survive an American occupation and would have to fight to every last man, woman and child. Some (Japanese) used Halsey's words to justify doing so. The media helped. On July 23, 1945, Halsey's phrase (posted on billboards in the warzone) 'Kill Japs, kill Japs, then kill more Japs.' appeared on Time magazine's cover.  

Continued tomorrow