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ORIGINAL: crsutton

Stillwell. He was slated for high command and was one of Marshall's favorites. He did not want China but took it as a favor to Marshall-even though both suspected it would be a career killer.

I just got Barbara Tuchman's Stillwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45.

Ridgeway still needed ageing with the 82nd.

Jake Devers could have been a smokey. He handed the armo[s]u[/s]red corps over to Patton in mid January '42, and moved up to the role of expanding the force to 16 divisions. He didn't shy away from telling his superiors (i.e. McNair) that his ideas about tank warfare doctrine were wrong, that the Sherman needed to be upgunned, etc. He was pushing for independent heavy tank battalions with T26s in 1944. McNair got rid of him in the end by sending him to England to train the divisions assembling there, and he later swapped seats with Eisenhower and was ground commander "NATUSO", ie the troops training for Dragoon - and after McNair's death Marshall appointed him to Army Group command. His professional specialty was more attuned to the European theatre, but that mightn't have stopped McNair. One thing would be likely out of that - as the US divisions arrived down here, he and Eichelberger would have put a program in place to cure all the training deficiencies that McNair's system produced.

Edit "NATOUSA"

ORIGINAL: m_shane_perkins
Fred, you make some great points.

Thank you.

ORIGINAL: m_shane_perkinsI was just saying that of the available American generals in early '42 that Krueger
would have made an ideal choice. He was clearly qualified for high level command. He didn't have the political
problems that others had. His attendance at the Naval War College would opened doors between the Army and Navy. He
had served in the Philippines as a junior officer, so I think his heart would have been there too.

No problems with that. I don't know much about Krueger but most higher US Army officers did a stint in the Philippines
through their careers. Eisenhower, too. As a matter of fact, he served directly under MacArthur for a period before
the war broke out.

Another potential candidate would have to be the OIC of the US Army forces (Philippine Department) at the Philippines
before MacArthur got the job and the Philippine armed forces were integrated with the US, major-general Grunert.
Actually, he recommended himself for the job, but so did MacArthur.

Fred

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Stillwell. He was slated for high command and was one of Marshall's favorites. He did not want China but took it as a favor to Marshall-even though both suspected it would be a career killer.

I just got Barbara Tuchman's Stillwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45.

Ridgeway still needed ageing with the 82nd.

A brilliant book that I have read and re-read from one of my favorite historians. (self taught) However, over 40 years old and written in a different political atmosphere. Not slamming the book but I highly recommend you read "Forgotten Ally" at the same time. A recent study of Chaing Kai Shek and the KMT war with Japan that puts the Nationalists in a different and much more balanced perspective. Not a perfect book either but well worth the time to read.