Question

You are President FDR, and it is July 1944. Since the end of 1943, the military has been waging simultaneous campaigns in the central and southwest Pacific. Under this plan, General Douglas MacArthur has been leading his troops along the northern New Guinea coast toward the Philippines while the US Navy has pressed through the

central Pacific, targeting the Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline, and Mariana Islands. The original goal was for the two forces to converge for a joint offensive against Formosa and Japanese-controlled China. But with the Marianas under US control by July 1944, the military now has air bases that are close enough to Japan for bombers to directly target the mainland. This means you and your military advisers face a decision: do you continue with both the central and southwest
Pacific campaigns, or do you prioritize one over the other?

1. Navy Admiral Ernest King advises you to bypass the Philippines in order to attack
Formosa, which he believes will save American lives.

2. MacArthur, meanwhile, presses you to keep the Philippines campaign alive. He argues that the United States has a duty to "liberate" the US territory and to save the thousands of American soldiers and nurses whom the Japanese have harshly imprisoned since his troops surrendered the island in 1942.

What would you do? Keep in mind, there may be personal and political considerations
at play.

Answer 1

Given the complexities of the situation and the risks and opportunities presented, I believe the best course of action would be to prioritize both the central and southwest Pacific campaigns. The US Navy's air bases are now close enough to Japan to allow us to target the mainland, while MacArthur's moral argument cannot be ignored, especially given the harsh treatment of US soldiers and nurses since his troops' surrender of the Philippines. While this would require a significant commitment of resources and personnel, I believe it is the right choice in this case.