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OCR Page 1 of 9HEARINGS ON THURSDAY, MAY 3
Senator Johnson. General, in the light of this program that
you have recommended, would you favor increasing the
limitation on the ceiling now un our Armed Forces, the ceil-
ing of 3,462,000 men?
General MacArthur. Oh, Senator, you are far afield from
me. I have had no part in thepolicy discussions or the studies
of the over-all strength of tle United States. I have been a
theater commander, confinel myself entirely to that.
I wouldn't know. I would have to go into the matter and
make studies, which I have never attempted.
A
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Senator McMahon. Mr. Chairman, I want to start by saying
that I have many questions, and I will make no apology for
the time that I take because we are here discussing the sur-
vival of our nation, which means the future of civilization
itself.
General, we are faced, are we not, with a global problem
in the ambitions of Communist Russia?
General MacArthur. Faced with what, Senator?
Senator McMahon. A global problem.
General MacArthur. Unquestionably.
Senator McMahon. You have given that problem a great
deal of thought, I assume? Don't you hear me, General?
General MacArthur. Yes. Yes, I have, sir.
Senator McMahon. And, therefore-
General MacArthur. With particular attention, of course, to
my own theater.
Senator McMahon. Pardon me?
General MacArthur. With particular attention, of course, to
TRUMAN
my own theater. Mv responsibilities are in my own theater.
Senator McMahon. That is correct. As you have said on
three or four occasions today, you are a theater commander.
is APCHIVES "NATIONAL ADMIN RECORDS AND
General MacArthur. I was.
Senator McMahon. I accept the amendment.
I believe you said to Senator Johnson that as a theater com-
G.S. GOVE: J
mander you had made no determination in your own mind of
either universal military service or concerning the amount
troops ou number of troops that we should have for our global
detense.
General MacArthur. That is correct. That problem did not
fall within my responsibilities or authorities.
Senator McMahon. I take it, therefore, General, that you
have not clearly formulated in your own mind-I do not say
this critically because you were a theater commander-but
you have 1 of formulated in your own mind how we are going
to put on a global defense if Russia decides to make glohal
war upon us.
General MacArthur. I have my own views, Senator, but
they are not authoritative views, and I would not care to dis-
cuss them. Eecause I understand I am here to discuss my own
theater. There are other authorities that have all those re-
sponsibilities and authority. They are not mine, and I there-
fore would not superficially inject myself into those discus-
sions.
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