# ID this historical figure

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 20, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707 "2016-01-20T21:39:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707/1 "2016-01-20T21:39:12Z")

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I’m trying to find out the name of this person, a prominent US businessman or economist put in charge of Japan’s postwar reconstruction. An old business professor of mine ID’d him as JD Power, but I can’t find any online confirmation and he’s too young besides. The person I’m trying to identify said “That which can be measured can be measured exactly.” Am I conflating three different people here? Help!

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**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707/2 "2016-01-20T21:42:17Z")

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[Deming?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming)

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**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707/3 "2016-01-20T21:46:21Z")

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General Douglas MacArthur was named Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and put in charge of the occupation and reconstruction.

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707/4 "2016-01-21T00:18:03Z")

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> [@Si\_Amigo](#):
>
> [Deming?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming)

This is the guy, thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-historical-figure/743707/5 "2016-01-22T13:50:22Z")

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> [@Kimballkid](#):
>
> General Douglas MacArthur was named Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and put in charge of the occupation and reconstruction.

Deming was choosen by and worked for MacArthur.