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. As a history of the vietnam war, robert mcnamaras memoir is bound to disappoint. Secretary of defense under the kennedy and johnson administrations originally believed that the vietnam conflict was unwinnable, based on the amount of effort that could politically be sold. At various times in its history, the us military has recruited people who measured below specific mental and medical standards. 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. Mcnamara s book on the vietnam was should have mentioned that excerpts appear in this weeks issue of newsweek. Mcnamara recalls, and regrets, vietnam the new york times. After being an executive at ford motor company, mcnamara served as defense secretary from 1961 to 1968, during the vietnam war under presidents john f. Although mcnamara s book, in retrospect, shocked uninformed americans who remember him as the man most responsible for waging the american war in vietnam, those who struggled for americas victory had always known him as their most formidable enemy, while those who wanted america defeated counted on him.
The culmination of his effort is a may 19, 1967 memorandum to lbj, calling for u. Mcnamara, clifford, and the burdens of vietnam, 19651969 by edward j drea illusions of choice. The wrong kind of loyalty mcnamaras apology for vietnam. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal story of. Robert mcnamara and the ghosts of vietnam the new york times. In search of answers to the vietnam tragedy, provided excerpts from a series of meetings between american and vietnamese scholars, policy makers, and military officers who were involved in the vietnam war. Aug 10, 1997 robert mcnamara believes that american leaders acted out of honorable principles, as he argued in his 1995 book, in retrospect.
There is, as with most cliches, at the center of this one a kernel of truth. 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. The cover of the book is a slickly contemporary minimalist design, cleverly. May 30, 2002 mcnamaras moron corps hbos path to war leaves out some of the most shameful brainstorms of the vietnam wars masterminds including a littleknown recruitment program that turned the. 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. He was a strong believer in americas fight against communism, and thought it was his patriotic duty to serve. The war in vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the new york times or the college campuses. We do not know precisely when this occurred, but the memoir. Vietnam war terribly wrong, mcnamara writes vietnam in. Nov 14, 2018 during the vietnam war, robert mcnamara began a program called project 100,000. Best books on vietnam 194 books meet your next favorite book. 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 the vietnam war, mcnamaras morons as they were called, were barely literate, or could not read or write, or did not speak english. During kennedys administration, mcnamara supported the presidents decision to increase american involvement in vietnam.
In the wake of vietnam, mcnamara was derided for his coldness and scorned as one of the so called best and brightest who had led the country into a quagmire through arrogance. The book deals with his life and career as a public servant, focusing on his role as the secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968. Mcnamaras book reminds us that they even repeated the litany in memos to. The story behind mcnamaras morons, vietnam wars cruel. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal. Jul 06, 2009 robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. Project 100,000 was initiated by defense secretary robert mcnamara in october 1966 to meet the. 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. Mcnamara, in full robert strange mcnamara, born june 9, 1916, san francisco, california, u. I think it is a very important war and i am pleased to be identified with it and do whatever i can to win it.
Hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. Mcnamara called for a boost in american firepower and a troop increase to 200,000 soldiers. 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. Unwilling to fill the ranks through politically risky policies such as drafting college students or deploying large numbers of. In 1999 mcnamara cowrote a second book on the vietnam war with several scholars and historians. Locked into this fear of losing vietnam, yet deterred by fear of provoking war with china, mcnamara came to champion an inbetween course of military pressures, one that got us good and committed enraging domestic dissenters, but one with weapons and target restrictions that precluded fully committing us military power enraging critics on the right. 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. The book resulted from a fouryear project to explore each nations perspectives on the war. Did robert mcnamara help escalate the vietnam war knowing. The book deals with his life and career as a public servant, focusing on his role as the secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 during the johnson and kennedy administrations.
He played a major role in escalating the united states involvement in the vietnam war. In a 1995 memoir, he called the vietnam war and crucial decisions he made as. The fortifications were partially constructed by the american forces in 19671968 along the eastern portion of the demilitarized zone. Whatever the difficulties of the moment, he exuded a certainty that promised ultimate success. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect. Mcmaster from the conclusion dereliction of duty is a stunning analysis of how and why the united states became involved in an allout and disastrous war in southeast asia. This book is broader than just mcnamara s experience in vietnam it details his life experiences that led him to his conclusions. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory vietnam veterans of. 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. Mcnamara, and thus inevitably called mcnamaras 100,000, the project was a way to meet the manpower demands of an escalating war. And had the conflict known as mcnamaras war never been fought.
Robert mcnamara himself, in the middle of his tenure as defense secretary, embraced the moniker, wrote tim weiner for the. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. In a 1995 interview with terry gross, mcnamara reflects on vietnam and admits his serious doubts about us policy and the decisionmaking that. Project dye marker was a cover name for a strong pointobstacle component of the electronic antiinfiltration barrier system in south vietnam known as mcnamara line during the vietnam war, which aimed to create an alternative to the us bombing of north vietnam. The program brought over 300,000 men to vietnam who failed to meet minimum criteria for military service, both. Mcnamaras book closes a chapter in a bitter history. Robert strange mcnamara june 9, 1916 july 6, 2009 was an american business executive and former united states secretary of defense. David halberstam wrote a book called the best and the brightest, about the meritocrats who bungled their way into vietnam, with mcnamara as a starring fool. The documentary about robert mcnamaras views, expressed in this book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading mcnamaras folly. The best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war.
How robert mcnamara came to regret the war he escalated. 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. Perhaps they were, but then shouldnt that have called for a reappraisal of. Hamilton gregory, who served in army intelligence in vietnam in 19681969, is the author of mcnamaras folly. By the end of the month, 50,000 additional troops were heading to vietnam, with 75,000 more to be. Mcnamaras public life was defined by his role as a leading architect of the war in vietnam, despite major achievements in the corporate and nonprofit worlds. Although mcnamaras book, in retrospect, shocked uninformed americans who remember him as the man most responsible for waging the american war in vietnam, those who struggled for americas victory had always known him as their most formidable enemy, while.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Project 100,000 also mcnamara s 100,000, also known as mcnamara s folly, mcnamara s morons and mcnamara s misfits, was a controversial 1960s program by the united states department of defense dod to recruit soldiers who would previously have been below military mental or medical standards. In fact, by then we were closer on vietnam as well, for mcnamara had, after two decades of silence regarding the war, published his book in retrospect, in which he repudiated his former. Appearing exactly two decades after the last american diplomats and military personnel pulled out of vietnam in defeat, the mcnamara book adds an important dimension to the history of the conflict. Mcnamara describes lessons learned in vietnam news the. Former defense secretary robert mcnamara died monday. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. During the vietnam war, robert mcnamara began a program called project 100,000. Robert mcnamara believes that american leaders acted out of honorable principles, as he argued in his 1995 book, in retrospect. His book, in retrospect, published in 1995, presented an account and analysis of the vietnam war that dwelt heavily on the mistakes to which he was a prime party and conveyed his strong sense of guilt and regret. They correspond to conclusions reached previously in the books on vietnam.
Jul 06, 2009 former defense secretary robert mcnamara died monday. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, the recent memoir of the vietnam war by robert mcnamara, the american secretary of. As we learn from in retrospect, mcnamaras vietnamera memoir, he subsequently had a change of mind. The program brought over 300,000 men to vietnam who failed. Robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, we now have mcnamara declaring that the united states should have withdrawn from vietnam in late 1963 when only 78 americans. Robert mcnamara himself, in the middle of his tenure as defense secretary, embraced the moniker, wrote tim weiner for. 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. After holding that position he served as president of the world bank from 1968. Mcnamara was the most prominent of those whom new york times war reporter david halberstam called the best and the brightest. In a 1995 interview with terry gross, mcnamara reflects on vietnam and admits his serious doubts about.
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