General MacArthur and the Yamashita Decision September 1944 - February 1946. Senior Leadership Ethical Case Study for the Department of Command Leadership and Management

摘要

This paper presents a case study of senior military leaders ethics in the decision making process. Specifically, General MacArthur's decision to try and subsequently execute General Yamashita for war crimes during WW II is documented for critical review and discussion of the importance of a professional senior military leader's responsibility to formulate decisions based on ethical and moral foundations. The case study is designed as an educational tool for use in the seminar environment. Yamashita's trial is presented to establish the setting and build a foundation for reader familiarization with the facts, as captured in historical documentation, of the situation in the Phillippines during WW II that led to MacArthur's decision against Yamashita. The Supreme Court's review, the dissenting opinion of two of its justices, and MacArthur's Staff Judge Advocate's review provide additional insight into the factors surrounding MacArthur's decision. General MacArthur's decision is analyzed with emphasis on possible influences of his personal convictions at the time. (kr)