Douglas MacArthur was literally born into the United States Army, at Little Rock Barracks, Arkansas, the son of Arthur MacArthur, destined to earn the Medal of Honor and become the army's senior ranking officer. MacArthur received an appointment to West Point, from which he graduated in 1903, first in his class. Commissioned a second lieutenant of engineers, he was sent to the Philippines, then served as aide-de-camp to his father during a military tour of Asia in 1905-06. In 1906, he was appointed aide to President Theodore Roosevelt and served until the following year, when he was given command of a company of the 3rd Engineers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, through 1909. He taught at the General Service and Cavalry Schools from 1909 to 1912, then was appointed to the General Staff, serving from 1913 to 1917. During this period, MacArthur fought in the military intervention at Veracruz, Mexico, during April-November 1914.

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, MacArthur took a leading role in the creation of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division. He served as the division's chief of staff when it was sent to France in October 1917. MacArthur saw action at Aisne-Marne (July 25-August 2), then commanded a brigade during the assault on the Saint-Mihiel salient from September 12 to September 17. He also led a brigade at Meuse-Argonne (October 4-November 11, 1918) and commanded the entire Rainbow Division in the "race to Sedan" at the end of the war (November 6-11). MacArthur served with occupation forces in Germany after the armistice. On his return to the United States in April 1919, he was appointed superintendent of West Point.

MacArthur left West Point in 1922 to accept a command as major general in the Philippines. He remained there until January 1925, returning to the United States until 1928, when he went back to the Philippines as commander of the Department of the Philippines through 1930. When he returned to the United States again in 1930, it was as chief of staff of the U.S. Army, the most senior post in the service.

In 1932, while serving as chief of staff, MacArthur personally led a detachment of troops to suppress the so-called Bonus Army (World War I veterans who demanded early payment of promised government moneys during the worst of the Great Depression) and drive them out of Washington, D.C. MacArthur exceeded his orders, acting not only against the Bonus marchers in the city, but raiding and razing an encampment just outside of town, at Anacostia Flats. Unseemly and brutal, the action brought upon MacArthur considerable negative publicity. . . 

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