“It is my earnest hope – indeed the hope of all mankind – that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world found upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfilment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice.”

General Douglas MacArthur (1880 to 1964)

A US Army General who is widely known for his exploits during World War II, where he commanded the Southwest Pacific Theatre, as military administrator of post-war Japan during the Allied occupation that followed (1945-51), and leading UN forces during the first nine months of the Korean War (1950-53).

MacArthur was promoted to full General (4-star) when he was selected as US Army Chief of Staff in 1930. In 1935-41, he served as a military advisor to the Philippines (with the rank of Field Marshal), retiring from the US Army in 1937. He was recalled to active duty in July 1941. He was promoted to General of the Army in December 1944 (the US equivalent of Field Marshal).