Johnson, mcnamara, the joint chiefs of staff, and the lies that led to vietnam paperback may 8, 1998. The book provides a very detailed analysis of the decision making process that caused america to fight a war in vietnam, it is limited in. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal story of. But it was not just a question of someone who had to do and see everything. The vietnam war was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of north vietnam against south vietnam and its principal ally, the united states. Even during the most difficult days of the vietnam warwhich would. Following up on vietnam, leadership, and the war remembrance museum in ho chi minh city, i wanted to include some quotes by robert mcnamara, the secretary of defense during the vietnam war as the bbcs obituary noted. Mcnamara s and the whiz kids focus was on kill ratios which was one american or vietnamese soldier for every 2. Conclusions that include his belief that the vietnam war was a mistake and that in the case of japan, general curtis lemays comment that they would all be prosecuted as war criminals because of the fire bombing if we.
Mcnamaras book on the vietnam was should have mentioned that excerpts appear in this weeks issue of newsweek. Robert mcnamaras actions during the vietnam war were wrong, terribly wrong. Jul 07, 2009 robert mcnamara s actions during the vietnam war were wrong, terribly wrong. Hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. The secretary of defense during the administrations. Mcnamara s controversial book tells the inside and personal story of americas descent into vietnam from a unique point of view, and is one of the most enlightening books about government ever written.
During kennedys administration, mcnamara supported the presidents decision to increase american involvement in vietnam. He spent his later years as an elder statesman, apologizing for an escalation of the conflict that became known as mcnamaras war. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal. Whether slogging through vietnam in army fatigues, spewing out statistics to demonstrate progress, or presiding at a press conference, map on the wall, pointer in hand, he epitomized what came to be called mcnamara s war. Mcnamara illustrating his observations of the nature of modern warfare. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading mcnamara s folly.
High government leaders arent generally known for flaunting their errors. Army officer, gulf war combat veteran and former history teacher at the u. Mcnamara writes vietnam mea culpa the washington post. Vietnam war terribly wrong, mcnamara writes vietnam in. Department of defense in the 1960s and the chief architect and most vocal defender of the vietnam war. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading mcnamaras folly. Mcnamara, secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, helped lead america into vietnam. One of the main aims of mcnamaras book is to explore how the exceptionally selected. Mcnamara june 9, 1916july 6, 2009 was a secretary of the u. Secretary of defense during the vietnam war and the kennedy administration. Mcnamara, was bringing the successful lessons of the cuban missile cri. In some respects the book is an admission of guilt by mcnamara to help clear his conscience, but also to help set the record straight. Mcnamara, once a champion of the escalation of the vietnam war, says in a memoir to be published in the coming week that he has now concluded that the united states could and should.
Kennedy administration of 19611963, robert mcnamara had important influence on the early escalation in. Mcnamara, in full robert strange mcnamara, born june 9, 1916, san francisco, california, u. Military academy has provided a masterful examination of the roots of the vietnam war. The use of lowiq troops in the vietnam war infinity publishing, 2015 arnold r. In fact events in vietnam itself are very peripheral to the story and there is almost no content about the conduct of the war. Mcnamara recalls, and regrets, vietnam the new york times. He was a war correspondent in vietnam and is the author of without honor. Nov 14, 2018 cruelly nicknamed mcnamaras morons, project 100,000 was an initiative started underyou guessed itrobert mcnamara during the vietnam war. Robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. Mcmaster, at the time a major in the united states army he subsequently became national security advisor in 2017 after having risen in rank to lieutenant general. In 1966, president lyndon johnson and defense secretary robert mcnamara were desperate to find additional troops for the vietnam war, but they feared that they would alienate middleclass voters if they drafted college boys or sent reservists and national guardsmen to vietnam. Whether slogging through vietnam in army fatigues, spewing out statistics to demonstrate progress, or presiding at a press conference, map on the wall, pointer in hand, he epitomized what came to be called mcnamaras war.
They correspond to conclusions reached previously in the books on vietnam cited in. The title derives from the military concept of the fog of war. Jun 25, 2019 yes, robert mcnamara did micromanage the vietnam war. Yes, robert mcnamara did micromanage the vietnam war. Mcnamara believed that the fight against communism in asia was worth the sacrifice of american lives, and yet he eventually came to believe that the war was, in fact, unwinnable. The use of lowiq troops in the vietnam war kindle edition by gregory, hamilton. At various times in its history, the us military has recruited people who measured below specific mental and medical standards. The film was directed by errol morris and features an original score by philip glass. Cruelly nicknamed mcnamaras morons, project 100,000 was an initiative started underyou guessed itrobert mcnamara during the vietnam war. Mcnamara s book on the vietnam was should have mentioned that excerpts appear in this weeks issue of newsweek.
Mcnamara was an american business executive and the eighth u. But toward the end of his life, former defense secretary robert mcnamara issued a string of. He is best known for helping lead the united states into the vietnam war. During the vietnam war, mcnamaras morons as they were called, were barely literate, or could not read or write, or did not speak english. His policies changed the way that the military operated and also shaped the strategy of the vietnam war. Schoenfelds piece should be required reading for all the young victims of tenured dishonesty in academia. The wrong kind of loyalty mcnamaras apology for vietnam. As promised i have burned every page in fire pit with vietnam veterans of the u. Mcnamaras and the whiz kids focus was on kill ratios which was one american or vietnamese soldier for every 2. Whatever the difficulties of the moment, he exuded a certainty that promised ultimate success. Mcnamara, writing in his 1995 memoir, in retrospect, on the management of the vietnam war. Last stand at khe sanh by gregg jones this book represents where the rubber meets the road on mcnamaras war book 2. The vietnam era was marked by protests, not just about war, but also for social change.
Re mcnamara takes much of blame for vietnam, april 9. Biography of robert mcnamara, vietnam war architect. His newest book, forthcoming in january 2014, is left brain, right stuff. The mcnamara fallacy learn to spot it and to avoid it.
Outnumbered by those who wanted to continue fighting, he left the johnson administration and his. The story behind mcnamaras morons, vietnam wars cruel. Nov 28, 2017 the conditions of mcnamaras departure from the pentagon were murky at the time and that murkiness speaks volumes about mcnamara, johnson and the domestic politics of the vietnam war. Mcnamara, and thus inevitably called mcnamaras 100,000, the project was a way to meet the manpower demands of an escalating war. Mcnamaras morons vietnam was war for profit, american. The documentary about robert mcnamaras views, expressed in this book.
Unwilling to fill the ranks through politically risky policies such as drafting college students or deploying large numbers of. So, on october 1, 1966, mcnamara lowered mental standards and. Mcnamara, once a champion of the escalation of the vietnam war, says in a memoir to be published in the coming week that he has now. Robert mcnamara on vietnam and leadership or lack thereof. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Even more than mcnamara, draper misrepresents how we went to war with north vietnam, by belittling the provocativeness of the 1964 tonkin gulf incidents. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, the war could and should have been avoided and should have been halted at several key junctures, one as early. Mcnamara is a 2003 american documentary film about the life and times of former u. A key adviser to the president during the cuban missile crisis, mcnamara is most famousor infamoustoday as the prime architect of the disastrous american intervention in the vietnam war. Opinion rethinking mcnamaras war the new york times. The conditions of mcnamaras departure from the pentagon were murky at the time and that murkiness speaks volumes about mcnamara. Robert strange mcnamara june 9, 1916 july 6, 2009 was an american business executive and the eighth united states secretary of defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under presidents john f. Hamilton gregorys book describes in incredible detail the horror that befell those men caught up in secretary mcnamara s desire to find the troops needed to fight the vietnam war without eliminating draft deferments or calling up the national guard and reserves.
This book is broader than just mcnamara s experience in vietnam it details his life experiences that led him to his conclusions. Nov 03, 2011 former defense secretary robert mcnamara offers a mea culpa in 1995 for the united states actions in the vietnam war. Robert mcnamara and five lives of a lost war, published by alfred a. In a 1995 memoir, he called the vietnam war and crucial decisions he made as. Robert mcnamara himself, in the middle of his tenure as defense secretary, embraced the moniker, wrote tim weiner for. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory vietnam veterans of. The definitive insiders account of american policy making in vietnam. The book is not a history of the vietnam war nor an analysis of the actual war. Mcnamara spanned academia, private enterprise, government. Mcnamara was wrong, terribly wrong about vietnam the nation. Vietnamese a north vietnamese soldier laments how the war pitted vietnamese against each other. Robert strange mcnamara, one of the most recognizable and controversial figures of the vietnam war, served as the secretary of defense under both john f. How robert mcnamara came to regret the war he escalated.
Mcnamara was wrong, terribly wrong about vietnam the. Mcnamara is as critical about his own role as anyone elses in conducting a war that he says caused terrible damage to america and ultimately killed 57,000 americans and left. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, published by times books. Later he became the first president of the ford motor company from outside the ford family, and eventually found himself as the u. Former defense secretary robert mcnamara offers a mea culpa in 1995 for the united states actions in the vietnam war. Lyndon johnson, robert mcnamara, the joint chiefs of staff, and the lies that led to vietnam is a 1997 book written by h. The mcnamara fallacy is named after robert mcnamara. May 02, 2014 mcnamara s plan, supported by requests from top u. He played a major role in escalating the united states involvement in the vietnam war. To antiwar protesters at the time, mcnamara became something of a hate figure, an arrogant ultrahawk responsible for escalating the war.
I have two memories of my father before he went off to vietnam. This book gives mcnamaras, views on war and peace in the nuclear age based on his experience as secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents kennedy and johnson and his service as a staff officer to general curtis lemay during wwii. He was a strong believer in americas fight against communism, and thought it was his patriotic duty to serve. Mcnamara finally saw the light and began to question continuing the war and johnson dropped him from his cabinet and continued to expand the war. As a history of the vietnam war, robert mcnamaras memoir is bound to. The vietnam center and sam johnson vietnam archive. Robert mcnamara himself, in the middle of his tenure as defense secretary, embraced the moniker, wrote tim weiner for the. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
559 1452 1351 339 1197 949 1283 184 957 1474 283 389 1120 776 878 1306 1311 410 493 24 1009 1400 617 828 310 1068 649 612 1246 115 329 1055 279 308 899 702 1314 1080 601 600 819 20 1359