Representative Speeches of General of the Army Douglas Macarthur

Memorable Quotations from Public Statements By General MacArthur: "I Shall Return": The well-known words "I shall return," while not made in a public address by General MacArthur, deserve mention here among some of the General's better and lesser known remarks. After leaving the Philippines March 12, 1942, MacArthur made his way to Australia where he was pressed by reporters for a statement. He issued the following Statement: "The President of the United States ordered me to break through the Japanese lines and proceed from Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I understand it, of organizing the American offensive against Japan, a primary object of which is the relief of the Philippines. I came through and I shall return." MacArthur mentioned later that he made the famous remark casually enough, but the became a psychological rallying point for the Filipinos, and for many Americans. When American forces and MacArthur returned to the Philippines in October 1944, the General's first works, spoken into a microphone, were: "People of the Philippines: I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil. "It would be difficult to exaggerate the importance of the words "I shall return" and MacArthur's prestige with the Philippine people during the years 1942-44.For this book it was decided to include the compilation of the public addresses, and in the case of each address to reproduce the full text. The selection of addresses was limited to those, which appear to have received widest attention and discussion.Legislative Reference Service Library Staff is the author of 'Representative Speeches of General of the Army Douglas Macarthur' with ISBN 9780898752144 and ISBN 0898752140.