Secretary of defense robert mcnamara, april 26, 1965. Foreign relations of the united states, 19611963, volume. Nov 07, 1995 architect of mcnamaras war makes return trip to vietnam. This new edition features a new foreword by mcnamara. Oct 14, 2011 in a subsequent memo mcnamara sent to johnson in early november 1967, the defense secretary recommended that u. He was the cando man in the cando society in the cando era, david halberstam wrote in the best and the brightest, and during the kennedy and early johnson years, he managed americas expanding involvement almost as if he were a desk officer. Jul 06, 2009 the book contained the long awaited admission that mcnamara believed u.
Secretary of defense robert mcnamara, a primary architect of the vietnam war, who chose to break his silence on iraq. The living and the dead is a biography of the robert mcnamara, the strangely structured defense secretary during the vietnam war, but more than that, it is a sad and rueful exposition of human weakness intermixed with ambition and a belief that deceit somehow can overcome failure. Kennedy, who preceded johnson in the white house, insisted that he did not wish to make an unconditional commitment to prevent the loss of south vietnam and flatly refused to endorse the introduction of u. The vietnam center and sam johnson vietnam archive. The united states, he says, is making the same mistakes all over again. But toward the end of his life, former defense secretary robert mcnamara issued a string of. In 1963, defence secretary robert mcnamara and head of the joint chiefs general maxwell taylor spent a week in south vietnam. An ebook reader can be a software application for use on a computer such as microsofts free reader application, or a book sized computer this is used solely as a reading. Mcnamaras 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. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal story of. Mcnamara has 22 books on goodreads with 5550 ratings. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory vietnam veterans of. Nov 28, 2017 on vietnam, too, mcnamara moved briskly. The book contained the long awaited admission that mcnamara believed u.
Mcnamara remembers it in his 1995 memoir, in retrospect, the war in vietnam seemed far off. Jul 06, 2009 robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. We misjudged then and we have since the geopolitical intentions of our adversaries and we exaggerated the dangers to the united states of their actions. In retrospectis nonetheless worth absorbing for the contributions it makesconcerning the vietnam policymakingprocess and the role therein that usintelligence did and did nor play. Mcnamara doesnt try to hide or defend the mistakes of vietnam, he simply wants to explain why and how they made the decisions that ultimately led to the tragedy that was vietnam. The use of lowiq troops in the vietnam war infinity publishing, 2015. Est 2040 gmt hanoi, vietnam cnn robert mcnamara, secretary of defense during the. Mcnamara was responsible for the institution of systems analysis in public policy. Defense secretary from 196168, was hailed in his day as a technocratic genius, a man who could dazzlingly run anything hed. Mcnamaras 1995 memoir, in retrospect, is a confessional of his guilt and remorse over his role in the war.
Mcnamaras last book on vietnam was one of the most controversial books ever published in this country. Former defense secretary robert mcnamara has died at the age of ninetythree. The mcnamarataylor report on vietnam 1963 in 1963, defence secretary robert mcnamara and head of the joint chiefs general maxwell taylor spent a week in south vietnam. 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.
We failed then as we have since to recognize the limitations of modern, hightechnology military equipment, forces. The conflict was between the north vietnamese supported by the ussr and cuba and the south vietnamese supported by the usa and south korea. Whatever the difficulties of the moment, he exuded a certainty that promised ultimate success. Mcnamara sends johnson memo critical of vietnam, oct. During his lifetime he was perceived as a highflying academic, a. Robert mcnamaras vietnam deception by nathan, james a. Physically, the mcnamara line ran across south vietnam from the south china sea to the laotian border along the vietnamese demilitarized zone dmz. The film was directed by errol morris and features an original score by philip glass. Reactions to the book are divided, reigniting the debate about u. Mcnamara points to vietnam map, shows machine gun, shows photo of destroyed bridges, speaks that more north vietnamese regular troops being sent into south, communists have lost 89,000 in last 4. This multibillion dollar program involved the implantation and monitoring of remote electronic sensors. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect h.
The career of the former us secretary of defence robert mcnamara, who has died aged 93, had few parallels in american history. Mcnamara and the real tonkin gulf deception by gareth porter for most of the last five decades, it has been assumed that the tonkin gulf incident was a deception by lyndon johnson to. On his first visit to saigon in 1962, during the rapid buildup of the american advisory presence, mcnamara. The mcnamara line, an operational strategy employed by the united states in 19661968 during the vietnam war, aimed to prevent infiltration of south vietnam by nva forces from north vietnam and laos. Mcnamara was one of the key architects of the vietnam war, which killed at least three million vietnamese, around one. Your memorandum of 21 september 1963 2 directed that general taylor and secretary mcnamara proceed to south vietnam to appraise the military and paramilitary effort to defeat the viet cong and to consider, in consultation with ambassador lodge, related political and social questions. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam in the washington monthly severely criticized the project, writing that the program offered a oneway ticket to vietnam, where these men fought and died in disproportionate numbers. Political constraints limited us units from taking certain actions to. In retrospect, mcnamara pinpoints 11 causes for disaster in vietnam 5. 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. In a 1995 memoir, he called the vietnam war and crucial decisions he made as. Mcnamara is a 2003 american documentary film about the life and times of former u. Mcnamaras 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. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect.
Publication date 1965 usage public domain topics publisher universal studios. As the interminable conflict in southeast asia wore on, congress came to feel itself misled as to the circumstances surrounding the gulf of tonkin incident, the authority pres. Defense secretary from 196168, was hailed in his day as a technocratic genius, a man who could dazzlingly run anything hed just been named president of ford motor. Mcnamara, secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, helped lead america into vietnam. In his memoirs, robert mcnamara insisted that the barrier, or the system, as he chose to call it, was able to cut to a degree an infiltration rate of the nva to south vietnam. Burch the following are excerpts from an exclusive interview by doug saunders with former u. In a subsequent memo mcnamara sent to johnson in early november 1967, the defense secretary recommended that u. I have read extensively about this war with most finding fault with why it was undertaken and a few finding it a necessary war. Mcnamara issued guidance for the united states to design and build an electronic wall around south vietnam to remotely track the movement of supplies. Even during the most difficult days of the vietnam warwhich would.
This book lays out complexities faced by decision makers in vietnam along with other major events cuban missile crisis, bay of pigs, including perspectives from all sides. 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. The title derives from the military concept of the fog of war. Robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. General giap was also responsible for the high number of vietnamese deaths. 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. The story behind the mcnamara line by peter brush a version of this article appeared in vietnam magazine, february, 1996, pp. Private pessimism in a private memorandumhegave to the president on 19 may1967, mcnamarapainted a darkpicture. He was a strong believer in americas fight against communism, and thought it was his patriotic duty to serve. In july of 1965, facing an insurgent viet cong and yet to see signs of a u. The wrong kind of loyalty mcnamaras apology for vietnam. Dec 08, 2015 from robert mcnamaras 1995 book in retrospect. The number of vietnamese deaths in the vietnam war was likely 3 to 4 million. 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.
In retrospect mcnamarasbookis of particularinterest to the with lbj. After kennedy was assassinated in november 1963, however, the military buildup in vietnam was. Hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. Argument without end in search of answers to the vietnam. Robert mcnamara believes that american leaders acted out of honorable principles, as he argued in his 1995 book, in retrospect. Mcnamara illustrating his observations of the nature of modern warfare. Robert mcnamara discusses viet cong casualties and the need of north vietnam to use their regular military troops.
On october 2nd they submitted a brief report on vietnam to president john f. Opinion rethinking mcnamaras war the new york times. Outnumbered by those who wanted to continue fighting, he left the johnson administration and his. But toward the end of his life, former defense secretary robert mcnamara issued a string of candid mea culpas for misjudgments about vietnam that were made during his 196168 tenure at the pentagon, especially his delay in acting on growing doubts that the war could be won. Best books on vietnam the best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war. Jul 23, 2010 robert mcnamara discusses viet cong casualties and the need of north vietnam to use their regular military troops. He played a major role in escalating the united states involvement in the vietnam war.
May 08, 2020 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. Its just wrong what were doing compiled by michael r. 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. Mcnamara spanned academia, private enterprise, government. Vietnam remains mcnamaras war, although it began long before. Mcnamara and the real tonkin gulf deception by gareth porter for most of the last five decades, it has been assumed that the tonkin gulf incident was a. Slideshow containing robert mcnamara fullsize image. By 1967he hadturned to ciafor independent, candid analyses ofthe wars progress and hadcommissionedthe gathering of whatbecame thepentagonpapers.
This interview was originally broadcast april 25, 1995. Mcnamara, in full robert strange mcnamara, born june 9, 1916, san francisco, california, u. Vietnam war defense secretary seeks reconciliation in hanoi mcnamara to meet old foes. Mcnamara, writing in his 1995 memoir, in retrospect, on the management of the vietnam war. Robert mcnamaras 11 lessons from vietnam renegade inc. Revisiting thoughtsengendered by mcnamaras retrospect. High government leaders arent generally known for flaunting their errors. This book filled in some of the blanks about the mismanagement of the vietnam war not found in previous readings. During kennedys administration, mcnamara supported the presidents decision to increase american involvement in vietnam. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal. Having recently toured vietnam i was very interested in gaining a better understanding of decisions that led to u. Mcnamara, clifford, burdens of vietnam 19651969 osd historical. And here mcnamaras flaws overwhelm a lifetime of achievements, for the portrait that emerges from shapleys book is of a man who was the primary culprit in americas illfated military engagement, a historical assessment that is likely to stick no matter how many nuclear arms reduction speeches and articles he churns.
As much as any other individual, secretary of defense robert s. The mcnamara line, an operational strategy employed by the united states in 19661968 during the vietnam war, aimed to. In the springof1967he confessed his apostasy to lbj. Mcnamara personified the american commitment in vietnam. This book will reignite the passionate debate about the. Also gives a brief background of himself, good book for anyone who wants more inside information of what led us to vietnam.
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