In 1951, a sitting president fired a legendary general for defying U.S. foreign policy
When General Douglas MacArthur publicly challenged the White House's strategy during the Korean War, President Harry Truman took the unprecedented step of firing a national hero to protect the American principle of civilian control.
In April 1951, the world was stunned when President Harry Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his command. MacArthur was a legendary figure who had accepted Japan's surrender in World War II, but he had grown increasingly vocal in his desire to expand the Korean War into China, even suggesting the use of atomic weapons.
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