Charles A. Willoughby

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Charles A. Willoughby bigraphy, stories - US Army Intelligence Officer

Charles A. Willoughby : biography

8 March 1892 – 25 October 1972

Charles Andrew Willoughby (March 8, 1892 – October 25, 1972) was a Major General in the U.S. Army, serving as General Douglas MacArthur’s Chief of Intelligence during most of World War II and the Korean War.

World War II & occupation of Japan

Willoughby was the Chief of Intelligence on General MacArthur’s staff during World War II, the occupation of Japan, and the Korean war. Willoughby became a major general on 12 April 1945. Willoughby’s contribution(s) during the Korean War is subject to some significant concern, with several sources insisting that he intentionally distorted, if not out and out suppressed, intelligence estimates showing that the Chinese were massing at the Yalu River. Willoughby allegedly did so in order to better reinforce MacArthur’s (mistaken) assertion that the Chinese would never cross the Yalu, and allow MacArthur a freer hand in his drive to the Yalu.Haberstam, David; The Coldest Winter; New York 2007, ISBN 978-1-4013-0052-4 Due to his initiative at the end of the Pacific Campaign Shirō Ishii was dispensed with charges of war crimes in exchange for information gathered by Unit 731, as well as monetary reward for Ishii.Edward Drea (et al.): Researching Japanese War Crimes Records: Introductory Essays. Washington 2006, ISBN 1-880875-28-4; Chapter 8

MacArthur affectionately referred to him as "my pet fascist."Gordon, Andrew; A modern history of Japan; Oxford 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-533922-2; S 237

Writer David Halberstam in his book "The Coldest Winter" paints Willoughby as largely appointed head of intelligence for Korea due to his sycophancy toward Douglas MacArthur. He points out that many veterans of the war, both enlisted and otherwise, felt that the lack of correct intelligence regarding the Chinese presence resulted in poor preparation by field commanders. This also contributed to MacArthur’s desire push his upper level commanders to divide their commands making mutual support of units and fortifications inadequate for the large numbers of Chinese they were about to face.

References and notes

Notes

General Willoughby is frequently mentioned in author W.E.B. Griffin’s series "The Corps", usually in an unflattering light.

Bibliography

  • Papers Of Major General Charles A. Willoughby, USA 1947-1973 http://www.galegroup.com/pdf/scguides/macarthur/RG-23.doc
  • Campbell, Kenneth J. "Major General Charles A. Willoughby: A Mixed Performance." Text of unpublished paper. http://intellit.muskingum.edu/wwii_folder/wwiifepac_folder/wwiifepacwilloughby.html

World War I

Using the name Adolf Charles Weidenbach, Willoughby was commissioned as both a Second Lieutenant in the Regular Army on 27 November 1916, and promoted to First Lieutenant on the same day. He joined the American Expeditionary Force(AEF) in June 1917 and was promoted to Captain (permanent) on 30 June 1917, serving initially with the 16th Infantry, First Division. He later transferred to the US Army Air Corps, where he was trained as a pilot by the French military. He was allegedly intimately involved with Elyse Raimonde DeRoche, a French woman subsequently shot as an alleged spy by the French Army. At some point in 1917 he was recalled to Washington in connection with an Army Intelligence investigation of pro-German sentiments. He was ultimately cleared. During this period he continued to use the name Adolf C. Weidenbach.

Retirement, death and legacy

After his retirement, Willoughby travelled to Spain to act as an advisor and lobbyist for dictator Francisco Franco. In his later years, Willoughby published the Foreign Intelligence Digest newspaper, and worked closely with Texas oil tycoon H.L. Hunt on the International Committee for the Defence of Christian Culture, an extreme right "umbrella" organization that had connections to anti-Communist groups. Another one of Willoughby’s allies was Rev. Billy James Hargis.http://thislandpress.com/11/02/2012/the-strange-love-of-dr-billy-james-hargis/