Benjamin Van Horrick
In 1947, the Marine Corps declined to fund the transport of Evans Carlson’s remains from the West Coast to Arlington National Cemetery. Carlson’s exploits won the loyalty of his men, but his maverick tendencies generated resentment among his superior officers. In The Raider, author Stephen R. Platt chronicles the tumultuous life and career of the famed Marine who formed and led the Marine Raiders. Carlson’s career challenged the Corps’ resistance to its mavericks, emphasized the value of working with regional allies, and fostered unit cohesion. More than a combat biography, Platt’s book serves as a case study on partner force development and the challenges of overcoming institutional inertia in order to innovate. As the Marine Corps again prepares for distributed operations across the Pacific, Carlson’s example offers lessons on innovating, partnering, and fighting in the Pacific.
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writings animated Evans Carlson’s life, inspiring the preacher’s son to run away from his New England home at 14, which served as his moral compass. Guided by self-reliance, an insatiable intellectual curiosity, and a fervent belief in justice, Carlson excelled when partnering with military forces in China and Nicaragua in the 1920s. From writing intelligence reports in Shanghai to quelling unrest in Nicaragua, he proved himself a thoughtful and effective combat leader. These tours gave Carlson an appreciation for the political dynamics and social networks that animate political and military action at the local level. His time on independent duty instilled in him the confidence needed to operate in complex environments, where he trusted his judgment and won the trust of his partners.
A chance posting to the presidential retreat in Warm Springs gave Carlson access to and the ear of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Carlson’s keen intellect and affable manner helped him build a relationship with the President and his eldest son, James. Before Carlson departed for China in 1937, President Roosevelt requested that Carlson write dispatches on his travel in China to be read only by the commander-in-chief. His dispatches influenced US–China policy; later, Carlson’s advocacy influenced the President to advocate for forming the Raiders. Buoyed by Roosevelt’s confidence, Carlson began his most formative tour to date.
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