Griffin W.E.B. - The Corps 09 - Under Fire

"I'd like to think that I'm a soldier, obeying his orders," Ridgway said. "You'll have to take my word I didn't come here looking for MacArthur's job."

"Your word is good enough for me," Howe said.

"Thank you," Ridgway said.

"What other opinions of ours are you after?" Howe asked.

"There are those who wonder if General Walker is up to the challenge."

"Relieving General Walker would have enormous politi-cal implications," Harriman blurted.

Howe and Pickering looked at him.

Well, that's the first Harriman's heard of that, Howe thought.

I thought diplomats were supposed to have poker faces, Pickering thought.

"Like most Americans, Averell," Pickering said, "I like to think our senior officers consider political implications as little as possible when making military decisions."

"Frankly, Pickering, that's a little naive."

Pickering shrugged contemptuously.

"If you're asking whether I think he's `up to the chal-lenge,'" Howe said, "I wouldn't presume to make a judg-ment like that."

"Neither would I," Pickering said.

"The question in General Collins's mind-and mine- given that General MacArthur has never been reluctant in the past to relieve underperforming officers is why he hasn't relieved General Walker. Is it because he's satisfied with his performance? Or because he feels the same loy-alty to him he shows to those who were with him in the Philippines? Or because he doesn't want to be accused of looking for a scapegoat? Or because if he relieves him, he's likely to get a replacement not of his choosing?"

"Walker is not a member of the Bataan Gang," Pickering said. "I don't think MacArthur even likes him. MacArthur's not going to criticize a senior officer like Walker to a lowly part-time brigadier, but, having said that, I think I would have picked up on unspoken criticism, and there's never been even a suggestion of that."

"MacArthur's been trying very hard to get General Al-mond promoted."

"I'm not surprised. It would be well-deserved," Picker-ing said.

"I agree. Almond strikes me as a very competent officer," Howe said. "I've wondered why he's only a two-star."

"General Collins does not share those opinions of Gen-eral Almond," Ridgway said. "I don't know why. How does Almond get along with Walker?"

"They don't like each other," Pickering said. "But I don't know why."

"General Collins is particularly upset by General MacArthur's plans to have Almond command X Corps...."

"Why?" Howe said. "Isn't picking his subordinate com-manders MacArthur's prerogative?" Howe asked.

"And by MacArthur's frankly odd decision to have him command it as an additional duty," Ridgway went on with-out replying. "Without relieving him of his post as chief of staff, which is what normally would happen."

"He hasn't discussed that with me, either," Pickering said. "But that could damned well be because he doesn't want Almond replaced by someone he didn't choose."

"And X Corps will be established as a separate corps, not as part of Eighth Army," Ridgway said. "Not under General Walker's command. That also raises questions in General Collins's mind-and mine."

"There could be a number of reasons for that," Pickering said. "The first that comes to me is that Almond has been in on the Inchon invasion from the beginning, and Walker hasn't. Neither Walker nor Almond has amphibious inva-sion experience. I get the feeling that MacArthur, who has enormous experience, plans to command the invasion it-self, and that would be awkward if X Corps were under Eighth Army."

Ridgway nodded.

"If the Inchon invasion goes forward," Harriman said, "and fails-"

"I don't think it will fail," Pickering said.

"But if it does, it would be a monumental disaster, wouldn't you agree?"

"For which Douglas MacArthur would take full respon-sibility," Pickering said. "I think he would resign if it did. And that's another reason I think he wants to command it himself, so it will not fail."

"General, you've been asking all the questions," Howe said. "I'd like to ask one. What's the problem between Collins and MacArthur?"

Ridgway hesitated a moment before deciding to answer the question.

"Quick answer: I don't think General Collins thinks General MacArthur pays him, or the office he holds, the re-spect he and it deserve."

"Blunt response," Pickering said. "MacArthur respects the office of chief of staff-and understands its problems-because he served as chief of staff. He has five stars-he had them when General Collins had two. During World War Two, when Collins was a corps commander, MacArthur was a theater commander. He had more men under his command then-and I don't think anyone faults his command of them-than are now in the entire U.S. Army. Under those circumstances, I think it's understand-able that MacArthur is not as awed by the chief of staff as the chief of staff might prefer."

"But he's subordinate to the chief of staff," Harriman said.

"And he has been taking, and will take, his orders from the chief of staff," Pickering said. "That does not mean he has to be very impressed with the officeholder personally. So far as MacArthur is concerned, the officeholder is just one more general, junior to him in rank and experience."

"Is that how he will think of me?" Ridgway said.

"This may be violating a confidence, General: I hope not," Pickering said. "MacArthur referred to you admiringly as about the best brain in the Army, or words to that effect."

"I've never met him," Ridgway said.

"Then it will be an interesting experience for you," Howe said. "You're tempted to back out of his presence with your head bowed."

Pickering laughed.

"I have one more question for you, General Pickering," Ridgway said.

"Shoot," Pickering said.

"There has been some talk that Admiral Hillenkoetter will resign..."

"Voluntarily?" Howe asked.

Ridgway didn't reply.

"... and that you will be offered the position."

"I'm wholly unqualified to be Director of the CIA," Pick-ering said. "If I was offered the job, I wouldn't take it."

"That will disappoint the President," Howe said. "The last time I talked to him, he asked if I had come to know you well enough to have an opinion about you taking over the CIA. I told him I thought you'd do just fine."

"Then, obviously, you don't know me well enough," Pickering said.

"Gentlemen," Harriman said. "Doesn't this about con-clude our business?"

I think the sonofabitch has decided that since he can't control the meeting-meaning me, Howe, and Ridgway- there's no point to it.

They looked at each other, and Howe, Pickering, and Ridgway each shrugged or made other gestures indicating that he had nothing else to say or ask.

Harriman stood up.

"I'm going to stick around a little longer," Pickering said. "I want to spend a little time with Ernie McCoy."

"Me, too," Howe said.

"Shall we send the car back for you?" Ridgway asked.

"Please," Pickering said.

"Would you please tell Ernestine we very much appreci-ate her hospitality?" Harriman asked.

Pickering nodded.

"I'll walk you to the door," he said.

"Fleming," Harriman said. "I regret the... tone... this sometimes reached."

"Me, too," Pickering said.

"You're not going with us to meet General MacArthur tomorrow?" Ridgway asked.

"Pickering and I have heard the Viceroy's opinions," Howe said.

" `The Viceroy's'?" Harriman asked.

"There you go again, Averell," Pickering said. "Collect-ing quotes."

Howe chuckled.

Pickering gestured for Harriman and Ridgway to go ahead of him through the dining room door.

Surprising him, Howe followed them all out to the street, and watched as Ridgway and Harriman got in the staff car and drove off.

Pickering started to go back through the passage in the wall. Howe stopped him by touching his arm.