Paul Caraway
Encyclopedia
Paul Wyatt Caraway was a United States Army
Lieutenant General
and the 3rd High Commissioner of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands. He was the son of two influential Arkansas Senators, Hattie Caraway
and Thaddeus Caraway. Caraway graduated from the United States Military Academy
in 1929. He also graduated from Georgetown University
with a law degree and taught law at West Point. He served on the General Staff for the United States Department of War
before becoming deputy chief-of-staff to General Albert Coady Wedemeyer
during World War II
. He served in numerous other positions, including accompanying Vice President
Richard Nixon
on a tour of Asia. Following the Korean War
, he became head of Army Research and Development. He never saw combat.
Caraway held major influence as High Commissioner during the 1960s. He brought a new sense of economic prosperity to the island chain, turning it from one of the poorest area of Japan to one of the wealthier in east Asia. He lowered electric prices and arrested several prominent banking figures for fraud, revamping the local banking industry in the process. Despite this, many Okinawans saw him as autocratic. He refused to allow any increase in self-rule or autonomy, vetoing any bill from the local legislature that brought the islands closer to Japan and crushing autonomy movements. He resisted reform efforts from Ambassador to Japan
Edwin O. Reischauer
and President
John F. Kennedy
. He resigned from the office and the military in August 1964.
to Hattie Caraway
, the first woman to be elected to the United States Senate
and Thaddeus H. Caraway
, also a Senator. He graduated from Georgetown University
and was admitted to the bar
in 1933. He practiced law in Heber Springs, Arkansas
from 1965 to 1968 and then taught at Benjamin Franklin University in Washington, D.C.
Sometimes called "Small Paul Caraway" because of his height, he was a noted workaholic
whose only real hobby included collecting firearm
s. The Hoover Institution
houses the Paul Wyatt Caraway papers, which cover the period of his life from 1953 to 1964.
at West Point in 1929. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant the same year. From 1935 to 1937, he served with the 15th Infantry Regiment in Tientsin, China. From 1938 to 1942, Caraway taught law at West Point.
He served in the General Staff of the United States Department of War
from 1942 to 1944. He also served as deputy chief of staff to General Albert Coady Wedemeyer
in the China Burma India Theater of World War II
. He was promoted to brigadier general
in 1945. He received the Army Distinguished Service Medal
for his service during the war. Despite his numerous staff positions during the war, Caraway never saw combat.
From 1945 to 1946 he headed the Chungking Liaison group. In 1947, he became an instructor at the National War College
. In 1950, he was stationed in Trieste
, Italy
. Caraway accompanied then-Vice President of the United States
Richard Nixon
as part of his official party on a diplomatic mission to various countries in the eastern world
.
Caraway commanded the 7th Infantry Division from August 1955 to April 1956 in Korea
. From 1957 to 1958, he chief of staff at the headquarters of the United States Forces in Japan
. He received a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for his Distinguished Service Medal in 1964 as a lieutenant general
. Following the Korean War
, Caraway became the head of Army research and development
. He retired as a lieutenant general.
had not yet approved his promotion to that rank. However, he felt that his need to establish immediate authority with the Okinawa public warranted his assumption of advancement; the Senate did not learn of this episode and confirmed him shortly thereafter.
While Commissioner, Caraway considered Okinawa an essential area of United States military control that provided defense against China
. He further considered the occupation to be a positive force for Okinawa. The economy of the island grew under his governing, and he believed that a return of the island to Japan would result in authoritarian rule and discrimination against the natives. He viewed Ryukyu politicians as able but did not view them as equals in authority.
Caraway ordered the lowering of electricity rates and reformed the island banking system after having a number of prominent bankers arrested on charges of fraud
. Before the war the Ryukyus had the lowest per capita income
of all Japanese provinces; under Caraway, the island enjoyed one of the highest per capita incomes in all of Asia
. Though he brought economic prosperity, many Okinawans and Japanese accused him of autocracy. He squelched a local autonomy movement, earning him criticism from the leftist movement and praise from local businessman. He also combated and repressed any movements in favor of reverting the islands to Japanese rule. He vetoed bills from the Ryukyu legislature that would have brought the island closer to Japan, replacing them with directives distancing it. His reputation eventually earned him the nickname "Typhoon Caraway" among islanders. He resisted any attempts to increase local self-government throughout his tenure, announcing "Okinawan self-government is nothing but a legend."
He had an ongoing rivalry with Ambassador to Japan
Edwin O. Reischauer
and frequently withheld key information from the embassy. Reischauer favored Kennedy administration plans to give the island more autonomy and allow the Japanese government to provide the island with greater financial aid; Caraway opposed all such measures, believing that they would eventually strip the United States of one of its most strategic bases. Resichauer referred to Caraway as a "bull-headed man" and "autocratic" in his memoirs, with Caraway firing back that "he's useless. He's a menace, because he thinks he knows everything... and he knows nothing." Caraway went so far as to accuse Resichauer of entering into a "conspiracy with the Japanese" to force American forces off the Ryukyus. In 1962, President of the United States
John F. Kennedy
began an effort to give the residents of the Ryukyu islands. On of his methods was to restrict Caraway's power of veto by allowing him to overrule the Ryukyu Legislature only when necessary to protect the security interests of the United States.
When Caraway suggested in a March 1963 speech that residents who desired autonomy for the Ryukyu Islands were incompetent to run a government for themselves, a large group of government workers began calling for his removal from office. A severe drought the same year forced Caraway to begin rationing water when reserves fell before 40 percent of capacity. He retired from the position on August 1, 1964 and Lieutenant General Albert Watson II succeeded him.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
and the 3rd High Commissioner of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands. He was the son of two influential Arkansas Senators, Hattie Caraway
Hattie Caraway
Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway was the first woman elected to serve as a United States Senator. Senator Caraway represented Arkansas.-Biography:...
and Thaddeus Caraway. Caraway graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1929. He also graduated from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
with a law degree and taught law at West Point. He served on the General Staff for the United States Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
before becoming deputy chief-of-staff to General Albert Coady Wedemeyer
Albert Coady Wedemeyer
General Albert Coady Wedemeyer was a United States Army commander who served primarily in Asia during World War II. His most notable command was the China theater in the South-East Asia Theater. During the Cold War, Wedemeyer was a chief supporter of the Berlin Airlift.-Early Life and military...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He served in numerous other positions, including accompanying Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
on a tour of Asia. Following the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, he became head of Army Research and Development. He never saw combat.
Caraway held major influence as High Commissioner during the 1960s. He brought a new sense of economic prosperity to the island chain, turning it from one of the poorest area of Japan to one of the wealthier in east Asia. He lowered electric prices and arrested several prominent banking figures for fraud, revamping the local banking industry in the process. Despite this, many Okinawans saw him as autocratic. He refused to allow any increase in self-rule or autonomy, vetoing any bill from the local legislature that brought the islands closer to Japan and crushing autonomy movements. He resisted reform efforts from Ambassador to Japan
United States Ambassador to Japan
The United States Ambassador to Japan is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States to Japan. Since the opening of Japan by Commodore Matthew C. Perry, in 1854, the U.S. maintained diplomatic relations with Japan, except for the ten-year period following the attack on...
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin Oldfather Reischauer was the leading U.S. educator and noted scholar of the history and culture of Japan, and of East Asia. From 1961–1966, he was the U.S. ambassador to Japan.-Education and academic life:...
and President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. He resigned from the office and the military in August 1964.
Life
Caraway was born on December 23, 1905 in Jonesboro, ArkansasJonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in and one of the two county seats of Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 US Census, the population of the city was 67,263. A college town, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the fifth most populous city in the state...
to Hattie Caraway
Hattie Caraway
Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway was the first woman elected to serve as a United States Senator. Senator Caraway represented Arkansas.-Biography:...
, the first woman to be elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and Thaddeus H. Caraway
Thaddeus H. Caraway
Thaddeus Horatius Caraway was a Democratic Party politician from Arkansas who represented the state first in the U.S. House of Representatives and then in the U.S. Senate ....
, also a Senator. He graduated from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1933. He practiced law in Heber Springs, Arkansas
Heber Springs, Arkansas
Heber Springs is a city in Cleburne County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 6,432 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Cleburne County.-Geography:Heber Springs is located at ....
from 1965 to 1968 and then taught at Benjamin Franklin University in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Sometimes called "Small Paul Caraway" because of his height, he was a noted workaholic
Workaholic
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work.The term generally implies that the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it...
whose only real hobby included collecting firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s. The Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
houses the Paul Wyatt Caraway papers, which cover the period of his life from 1953 to 1964.
Army career
Caraway graduated from the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point in 1929. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant the same year. From 1935 to 1937, he served with the 15th Infantry Regiment in Tientsin, China. From 1938 to 1942, Caraway taught law at West Point.
He served in the General Staff of the United States Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
from 1942 to 1944. He also served as deputy chief of staff to General Albert Coady Wedemeyer
Albert Coady Wedemeyer
General Albert Coady Wedemeyer was a United States Army commander who served primarily in Asia during World War II. His most notable command was the China theater in the South-East Asia Theater. During the Cold War, Wedemeyer was a chief supporter of the Berlin Airlift.-Early Life and military...
in the China Burma India Theater of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in 1945. He received the Army Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
for his service during the war. Despite his numerous staff positions during the war, Caraway never saw combat.
From 1945 to 1946 he headed the Chungking Liaison group. In 1947, he became an instructor at the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
. In 1950, he was stationed in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Caraway accompanied then-Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
as part of his official party on a diplomatic mission to various countries in the eastern world
Eastern world
__FORCETOC__The term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various cultures or social structures and philosophical systems of Eastern Asia or geographically the Eastern Culture...
.
Caraway commanded the 7th Infantry Division from August 1955 to April 1956 in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. From 1957 to 1958, he chief of staff at the headquarters of the United States Forces in Japan
United States Forces Japan
The refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, the United States is obliged to defend Japan in close cooperation with the Japan Self-Defense Forces for...
. He received a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for his Distinguished Service Medal in 1964 as a lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
. Following the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Caraway became the head of Army research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
. He retired as a lieutenant general.
Tenure as High Commissioner
Caraway served as High Commissioner of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands from February 16, 1961 to July 31, 1964. When Caraway arrived on the island, he wore the three-star insignia of a lieutenant general, despite the fact that the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
had not yet approved his promotion to that rank. However, he felt that his need to establish immediate authority with the Okinawa public warranted his assumption of advancement; the Senate did not learn of this episode and confirmed him shortly thereafter.
While Commissioner, Caraway considered Okinawa an essential area of United States military control that provided defense against China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He further considered the occupation to be a positive force for Okinawa. The economy of the island grew under his governing, and he believed that a return of the island to Japan would result in authoritarian rule and discrimination against the natives. He viewed Ryukyu politicians as able but did not view them as equals in authority.
Caraway ordered the lowering of electricity rates and reformed the island banking system after having a number of prominent bankers arrested on charges of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
. Before the war the Ryukyus had the lowest per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
of all Japanese provinces; under Caraway, the island enjoyed one of the highest per capita incomes in all of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Though he brought economic prosperity, many Okinawans and Japanese accused him of autocracy. He squelched a local autonomy movement, earning him criticism from the leftist movement and praise from local businessman. He also combated and repressed any movements in favor of reverting the islands to Japanese rule. He vetoed bills from the Ryukyu legislature that would have brought the island closer to Japan, replacing them with directives distancing it. His reputation eventually earned him the nickname "Typhoon Caraway" among islanders. He resisted any attempts to increase local self-government throughout his tenure, announcing "Okinawan self-government is nothing but a legend."
He had an ongoing rivalry with Ambassador to Japan
United States Ambassador to Japan
The United States Ambassador to Japan is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States to Japan. Since the opening of Japan by Commodore Matthew C. Perry, in 1854, the U.S. maintained diplomatic relations with Japan, except for the ten-year period following the attack on...
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin Oldfather Reischauer was the leading U.S. educator and noted scholar of the history and culture of Japan, and of East Asia. From 1961–1966, he was the U.S. ambassador to Japan.-Education and academic life:...
and frequently withheld key information from the embassy. Reischauer favored Kennedy administration plans to give the island more autonomy and allow the Japanese government to provide the island with greater financial aid; Caraway opposed all such measures, believing that they would eventually strip the United States of one of its most strategic bases. Resichauer referred to Caraway as a "bull-headed man" and "autocratic" in his memoirs, with Caraway firing back that "he's useless. He's a menace, because he thinks he knows everything... and he knows nothing." Caraway went so far as to accuse Resichauer of entering into a "conspiracy with the Japanese" to force American forces off the Ryukyus. In 1962, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
began an effort to give the residents of the Ryukyu islands. On of his methods was to restrict Caraway's power of veto by allowing him to overrule the Ryukyu Legislature only when necessary to protect the security interests of the United States.
When Caraway suggested in a March 1963 speech that residents who desired autonomy for the Ryukyu Islands were incompetent to run a government for themselves, a large group of government workers began calling for his removal from office. A severe drought the same year forced Caraway to begin rationing water when reserves fell before 40 percent of capacity. He retired from the position on August 1, 1964 and Lieutenant General Albert Watson II succeeded him.