Douglas MacArthur II

Douglas MacArthur II
United States Ambassador to Iran
In office 1969–1972
Preceded by	Armin H. Meyer
Succeeded by	Joseph S. Farland
United States Ambassador to Austria
In office April 5, 1967 – September 16, 1969
Preceded by	James W. Riddleberger
Succeeded by	John P. Humes
United States Ambassador to Belgium
In office 1961–1965
Preceded by	William A. M. Burden
Succeeded by	Ridgway B. Knight
United States Ambassador to Japan
In office February 25, 1957 – March 12, 1961
Preceded by	John M. Allison
Succeeded by	Edwin Reischauer
Personal details
Born	(1909-07-05)July 5, 1909 Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Died	Washington, D.C.
Spouse(s)	Laura Louise Barkley
Occupation	Diplomat

Douglas MacArthur II (July 5, 1909 – November 15, 1997) was an American diplomat. During his diplomatic career, he served as United States ambassador to Japan, Belgium, Austria, and Iran, as well as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs. He retired in 1972.

Life

MacArthur was the son of Captain Arthur MacArthur III and Mary McCalla MacArthur daughter of Bowman H. McCalla granddaughter of Col Horace Binney Sargent, great granddaughter of Lucius Manlius Sargent and was named for his uncle, General Douglas MacArthur. He was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

He graduated from Milton Academy in Milton, Mass., and from Yale College, Class of 1932. He served as an Army officer and then began his Foreign Service career in 1935 and was given a post in Vancouver, Canada. MacArthur worked with the French Resistance during World War II and was held as a prisoner of war for two years. He became chief of the State Department's Division of Western European Affairs in 1949 and was Counselor of the State Department before becoming Ambassador to Japan.

He married Laura Louise Barkley on August 21, 1934, the daughter of future U.S. Vice President Alben Barkley.

Diplomatic career

Later in his life, he served as U.S. ambassador to the following nations (years):

• Japan (1957–1961)
• Belgium (1961–1965)
• Austria (1967–1969)
• Iran (1969–1972)

MacArthur died in Washington, D.C. in 1997.

Related themes

• Girard incident
• Security Treaty Between the United States and Japan
• Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan

External links

• 1982 interview with Ambassador MacArthur related to US diplomatic efforts related to Vietnam
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by John M. Allison	U.S. Ambassador to Japan 1957 – 1961	Succeeded by Edwin Reischauer
Preceded by William A. M. Burden	U.S. Ambassador to Belgium 1961 – 1965	Succeeded by Ridgway B. Knight
Preceded by James W. Riddleberger	U.S. Ambassador to Austria 1967 – 1969	Succeeded by John P. Humes
Preceded by Armin H. Meyer	U.S. Ambassador to Iran 1969 – 1972	Succeeded by Joseph S. Farland
Government offices
Preceded by Fred Dutton	Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs March 14, 1965 – March 6, 1967	Succeeded by William B. Macomber, Jr.