What Defines Genius?

Lest we forget, September 15th marks the 68th anniversary of the Inchon Invasion. After a surprise summer invasion by North Korean forces, Allied forces had been compacted to a small portion of the Korean peninsula called Pusan perimeter. After stabilizing the perimeter, the senior commander, General MacArthur envisioned a bold breakout using the Yellow Sea as a maneuver space to land hundreds of miles behinds enemy lines and retake the Korean capital of Seoul. Ironically, Inchon was chosen by MacArthur, at odds with his staff, because it was so unsuitable as a landing area. In one fell swoop and in pure genius of military art, MacArthur totally reversed the course of the war, broke out of the Pusan Perimeter, and retook Seoul. However, just months later, MacArthur's drive to the Yalu "to get the boys home by Christmas" precipitated China's sudden entry into the war and Americans have never left since. By the Spring of 1951, President Truman boldly relieved MacArthur for an insisting a full out land war in Asia against a Communist China.

If there was ever a book title aptly named, it would be William Manchester's biography of Douglas MacArthur entitled American Caesar. In full disclosure, I am a full admirer of Douglas MacArthur, but there are many occasions where he oscillated between genius and folly. Unquestionably brave, astute, and regal, he was extremely prescient about America's unpreparedness and nativity in the run up to the Second World War. Korea was not the first time MacArthur's genius exhibited a lack of congruence and stability. A full sixteen hours after Pearl Harbor, MacArthur's air forces were caught unaware on the ground on the Philippines. Yet, he went on to lead a brilliant delaying campaign that ultimately led to island's loss and a tarnished reputation for his personal escape. From Australia, he pioneered the combined employment of air, naval, and amphibious forces to bypass Japanese strongholds, seize advance bases, and exploit Japan's inability to sustain their forces. Although many criticize his decision to retake the Philippines as a personal to rectify his personal defeat, I believe the United States was honoring its pre-war agreement to grant the Philippines its independence. I would submit there was no other person in the United States who could have led the military occupation of Japan with the same degree of success and mutual benefit. Although unsavory in some respects, due to the Emperor of Japan's participation in war activities, I would submit that only an American Caesar could have smoothly handled the task. Japan's productivity, uniqueness, and continued partnership is a lasting legacy of MarArthur's deep genius.

Can one be humble and still be a genius? Had MacArthur "listened" to his staff at Inchon, American forces may stalled inside the Pusan Perimeter. Likewise, had MacArthur "listened" to his staff just months later, he could have averted China's entry into the war created a lasting change. This is not a simple risk versus gain metric, but a deeper whole of person dynamic. My personal opinion is that genius comes in many forms, but rarely comes in every form and can be found in every circumstance. Recently, I have been watching this same dynamic play out with Elon Musk...are we at Inchon seawall or the banks of the Yalu? Genius works, until it doesn't. So I think greatness is being good when you need to be good. Genius is being great and knowing when to get out of your own way.