The two main Allied commanders in the PTO were Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Areas, the title held by Admiral Chester Nimitz and Supreme Allied Commander South West Pacific Area1, General Douglas MacArthur
General Douglas MacArthur was the supreme commander of the allied forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War 2.
There were two Generals who were given the title "Supreme Allied Commander" during WWII: In the European Theater of Operations, it was General Dwight D. Eisenhower; in the Pacific Theater of Operations, it was General Douglass MacArthur. It should be noted, that this was a title only, and wasn't really an operational command. That is, as the Allied war effort was broken up into a number of different Theaters, each theater had a Supreme Commander (though, only MacArthur and Eisenhower were given that title), and acted independent of other "Supreme" Commanders. All commanders reported to the Allied Joint Chiefs of Staff command structure (the combined British Empire and United States command). So, while Eisenhower was Supreme Commander of the Western European Theater, that did not encompass the North African Theater, nor the naval forces in the Atlantic, nor the strategic bombing forces (i.e. 8th Air Force, and RAF Bomber Command). Similarly, MacArthur was Supreme Commander only of the Southwest Pacific Theater, while Nimitz commanded the Central Pacific Theater. Honestly, "Supreme Commander" is a misnomer, given the relatively fractured organization of Allied commands.
MacArthurGeneral Douglass MacArthur
During World War II, the supreme military commander of American (and, in fact, all Allied troops) in the European Theater of Operations was General Dwight D. Eisenhower. An American, Eisenhower's position in the Pacific Theater of Operations was held with equal effectiveness by two other Americans, Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur.
There were three theaters in the war against Japan - the Central Pacific, the Southwest Pacific, and the China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations. The Pacific was divided largely to carve out a command for General Douglas MacArthur, who had enormous prestige and was a former Chief of Staff (commanding general) of the US Army. When MacArthur escaped from the Philippines the Southwest Pacific was created to make an appropriate command for him. He was based in Australia at first, and fought his way through New Guinea and neighboring island chains, and the Philippines. The Central Pacific Theater was under the command of US Admiral Chester Nimitz, who also commanded the US Pacific Fleet, and was based in Hawaii. Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten commanded the CBI. He was an uncle of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Mountbatten was murdered by the IRA in 1979. Though Eisenhower was the "Supreme Allied Commander" in the European Theater of Operations, there was also a Mediterranean Theater of Operations, which directed the fighting in Italy. Eisenhower commanded the MTO before moving to England to ready for the invasion of France, after which the MTO command passed to British General Harold Alexander. There was no single supreme commander of allied forces in the Pacific Theater. General MacArthur was the commander for the South West Pacific Area, while Admiral Nimitz was commander of the Pacific Ocean Area. See the related question for more information.
The Supreme Allied Commander of the European theater was General Dwight D Eisenhower. The Supreme Allied Commander of the Pacific theater was General Douglas MacArthur.
General MacArthur was the Supreme Allied Commander of the ground troops in the Pacific Theater of World War 2. General Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander of the European Theater of the war.
MacArthur was the Supreme Allied Commander for both WW2 and the Korean War (WW2-Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations/Nimitz was Supreme Allied Commander for the remainder of the Pacific Theater/US Army General Stillwell commanded the CBI Theater).
General Douglas MacArthur was the supreme commander of the allied forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War 2.
There were two Generals who were given the title "Supreme Allied Commander" during WWII: In the European Theater of Operations, it was General Dwight D. Eisenhower; in the Pacific Theater of Operations, it was General Douglass MacArthur. It should be noted, that this was a title only, and wasn't really an operational command. That is, as the Allied war effort was broken up into a number of different Theaters, each theater had a Supreme Commander (though, only MacArthur and Eisenhower were given that title), and acted independent of other "Supreme" Commanders. All commanders reported to the Allied Joint Chiefs of Staff command structure (the combined British Empire and United States command). So, while Eisenhower was Supreme Commander of the Western European Theater, that did not encompass the North African Theater, nor the naval forces in the Atlantic, nor the strategic bombing forces (i.e. 8th Air Force, and RAF Bomber Command). Similarly, MacArthur was Supreme Commander only of the Southwest Pacific Theater, while Nimitz commanded the Central Pacific Theater. Honestly, "Supreme Commander" is a misnomer, given the relatively fractured organization of Allied commands.
haulsey
While there was little of World War I in the Pacific, Douglas MacArthur oversaw much of the Pacific theater in World War II. He was eventually the Supreme Commander of forces there.
Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force, European Theater of Operations. MacArthur was the Commander of the Pacific Theater of Operations. Over both of these generals was General George Marshall who remained in Washington during the war.
Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied commander in the European theater of WW2.
Eisenhower was the commander of the European Theater of Operations.
MacArthurGeneral Douglass MacArthur
During World War II, the supreme military commander of American (and, in fact, all Allied troops) in the European Theater of Operations was General Dwight D. Eisenhower. An American, Eisenhower's position in the Pacific Theater of Operations was held with equal effectiveness by two other Americans, Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur.