field marshals of usa

how many field marshals did usa had

 

NONE!

 

I thought in the end MacArthur was a Field Marshal, they need a rank that befitted his status and nothing fitted, maybe it was just a 'position' rather than a rank, I will ask my younger brother who is rapidly becoming the worlds greatest expert on the man.

 

I don't think so. I haven't heard of a six-stars general...

 

I am not sure to be honest, I think he was just 'called' FM for some reason. I am probably wrong though.

 

No, he was a field marshall when he took over the Japanese Govt. (according to the 1966 biography I just watched, hosted by a very young mike wallace) and he was the only American FM. The bio didn't explain very deeply how official the title was, but they did call him that.

 

MacArthur was a five-star general, a "General of the Army". Despite what others might have called him, he was not a Field Marshal.

Nor did he "take over the Japanese Government". As Supreme Allied Commander in the theater he was also Allied Military Governor. But the day-to-day governmental operations would have been handled by the Senior Civil Affairs Officer who worked through the AMG staff and what might have remained of, or been designated to be, the Japanese civil service.

There is no question that he had a very strong influence, accepting no argument, on the Imperial House and the Senior Ministers, but the is not quite the same as having the spare time to "take over the Japanese Government".

The same structure and operation applied in Germany and - with operational modifications - in Italy.

 

I totally agree with Military History Network. I have read some biographies on Douglas McArthur and I didn't realise about anything about him being a field marshal. I have also read some things about USA Armed Forces and of course there aren't any mentions of a field marshal...

 

Doc Raider -

I believe the misunderstanding, if you'll allow me to call it that, arose because the American rank of General of the Army might have been said to be comparable to the European ranks of Field Marshal.

As memory serves me, John J Pershing, US commander in WW I, was given the title and rank General of the Armies (<- plural), but that was also a 5-star level.

I can dig into my files to confirm this if you'd desire.

I hope this helps.

 

No, I actually posted that because I was hoping someone knew a bit more about it. I know there was no US field marshall, but have heard him called that in documentaries before. This last one just made it even more confusing for me.

 

So many expert's........so little knowledge

Macarthur was indeed given the rank of "field marshal" by the....(drum roll)........Philippines. Mac earned the title when he was given command over the filipino armed forces.

 

US Army rank of General of the Army is the equivalent of a European Field Marshal. This is the first I have heard of MacArthur being called a FM. Does not mean it did not happen.

 

PzJgr -
MacArthur may have been called a Field Marshal, among other things. But that rank was not granted by the United States Government.

Kampfgruppe-Root is correct about MacArthur's status in the Philippines. Boatner's "Biographical Dictionary of World War II" reports that MacArthur was made a Field Marshal of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1936, and then recalled to US active duty on 26 July 41 as a Lieutenant General commanding the newly created US Army Forces in the Far East, i.e., the Philippine Army.

 

And what about Eisenhower??????
Wastn't he a Field Marshall???

 

Erwin, (regarding Eisenhower as a Field Marshal) I would say no. You do the research this time. It would have had to be awarded by a nation other than the USA.

 

for clarification, I did not say he was made a field marshal. The rank given, General of the Army, is the equivalent as that of a field marshal.

 

No, I couldn't find anything about Eisenhower.
Only that he was a four star general.

But I keep on searching.

 

wasn't eisenhower the first five star general. didn't the U.S create a new rank, because montgomery had been promoted to field marshal and they didn't believe you could have a subordinate who was a higher rank then his superior.

 

here is the answer!
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/FAQ-5star.htm
it is the equivilent rank to field marshal.

 

Thanks Mahross!