No Substitute for Victory: Lessons in Strategy and Leadership from General Douglas Macarthur

The Young Soldier

While his father was in the Philippines, Douglas and his mother moved to West Point. In June 1899, Pinky took up residence in a nearby hotel; she would see her son virtually every day. Nineteen-year-old MacArthur plunged wholeheartedly into the life of a cadet.

MacArthur's performance at West Point was superlative in every aspect. He ranked first in his class in three of four years, finishing with a 98.14 average—the highest in twenty-five years. He had perfect scores in English, history, and law. Ironically, because he chose to join the Corps of Engineers upon graduation (it offered the fastest advancement track), his lowest grades were in engineering and drafting.

MacArthur himself suggested that his academic achievements ...