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. This is an assemblage of ten superb papers which outline why america failed in vietnam. The definitive insiders account of american policy making in vietnam. Mcnamara tried to extend his success by merging development programs as well, resulting in the.
The tragedy and lessons of vietnam audiobook, by robert s. Mcnamara, secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, helped lead america into vietnam. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A few years ago there was a shining moment in that struggle. Mcnamara and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Read in retrospect pdf the tragedy and lessons of vietnam by robert s. What lessons have we learnedand must we learnfrom the vietnam war. The first page of the pdf of this article appears above.
The vietnam war part 1 why did the vietnam war start. The tragedy of the vietnam war 2008 edition open library. As the johnson administrations policy on vietnam drifted during the 1964 presidential election, military and political conditions in south vietnam rapidly worsened, heightening the dilemma between avoiding direct u. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, in which he describes the anticommunist political climate of the era, mistaken assumptions of foreign policy, and misjudgments on the part of the military that combined to create the vietnam debacle. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam by mcnamara, robert s. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam by professor robert s mcnamara online at alibris. 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. Robert mcnamaras vietnam deception by nathan, james a. An epic tragedy, 19451975 is a product of hastingss prodigious research and his aptitude for pungent judgments. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, published by times books. How does the war continue to reverberate in our politics today. With some of us it will never be forgotten because it was one of the most tragic, if not the most tragic, episodes in american history. Many of the 11 lessons he enumerates echo certain cautions that for a long time cia and other us intelligence officers tried unsuccessfully to get through to him and his colleagues. In retrospect, the tragedy and lessons of vietnam robert s.
He posits, discourses upon, and propounds the lessons in the interview that is the fog of war. Mcnamara 1995 mcnamara published a memoir, in retrospect. Just as there are nowdivided reactions to mcnamarasconfessions, so there have always been deeplydivided opin ions overvietnam. It seems to me the american people want to forget vietnam and not even remember that it happened. Nov 03, 2011 former defense secretary robert mcnamara offers a mea culpa in 1995 for the united states actions in the vietnam war.
Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal story of. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, and appended them to a forum which enables readers to talk to the publication or among themselves about some of the issues raised in this timely and important book. Now mcnamara has changed his mind about talking and written in retrospect. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam first edition by robert s. In retrospect the tragedy and lessons of vietnam by robert. I would guess that no other highranking official of the u. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam and millions of other books are available for instant access. Vietnam war to produce an illustrated timeline of new zealands experience of the vietnam war.
The tragedy and lessons of vietnam nonfiction workcriticism and interpretation. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam by oleg nekrassovski the p ese t pape is a e ie of m na a a s e oi, in retrospect. Revisiting thoughtsengendered by mcnamaras retrospect. And he was a vocal critic of the bush administrations war in iraq. Now more than four decades since its end, the legacy of the vietnam war continues to shape u. In europe the main rationale for nuclear weapons was to prevent an invasion by a soviet army which was.
Mcnamara was the second most important manager of the vietnam war after the president of the united states. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, the recent memoir of the vietnam war by robert mcnamara, the american secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson whose involvement in the policies and strategies of the vietnam war earned the conflict the sobriquet, mcnamaras war. Mcnamara continued to wage his campaign to make amends for vietnam through the end of his life, most notably in errol morris oscarwinning 2003 documentary, the fog of war. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect. As secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, robert s. I believe there are lessons to be learned from vietnam, and that were still struggling to come to grips with them. There is at the outset a very obvious and almost facile connection between the war in vietnam and the struggle i and others have been waging in america. We have selected sections or talking points from robert mcnamaras book, in retrospect. Project muse counting survivors by walter mcdonald, and. Robert strange mcnamara june 9, 1916 july 6, 2009 was an american business executive. The book deals with his life and career as a public servant, focusing on his. Mcnamara was one of the chief architects of american foreign policy, and particularly of the strategy that propelled the u.
Examinations of that conflict, ranging from specific uses of force to missed opportunities. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam by robert mcnamara, brian vandemark. A bipartisan group of former members of congress join experts on the vietnam war to examine the tumultuous vietnam era. This will be followed by the summary of the book s main points. Stop worrying about the damage americans had inflicted on vietnam and focus on what we had done to. Mcnamaras greatest tribute to cia, if indirectly, are the lessons of vietnam he draws at the end of in retrospect. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam find, read and cite all the research you need on. The prospect of another cold war with a less stable nuclear power is frightening. Mcnamara ton that thien as secretary of defence for seven years under two presidents. The lessons, legacies, and implications for future conflicts are the purpose of this collection of work on the american war in vietnam.
As military historians relook the vietnam experience, perhaps theyll see the need to amend the lessons the u. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam, times books, 1995, pp 337346. Vietnam war history book details the tragedy of vietnam. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam first edition by mcnamara, robert s. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam from the worlds largest community of readers. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam gives a unique inside perspective at the thought process behind the policy regarding the united states decision to escalate the vietnam war from the perspective of robert mcnamara, secretary of defense for both the kennedy and johnson administrations.
Neither is it an attempt to make north vietnam or the national liberation front paragons of virtue, nor to overlook the role they can play in a successful resolution of the problem. The book deals with his life and career as a public servant, focusing on his role. In retrospect concerningvietnamdid not begin with secretarymcnamaraandthe kennedyadministration. Times books, random house, 1993, pp 414 in retrospect, the tragedy and lessons of vietnam robert s. You might need to define what is meant by all over. In retrospect by robert francis mcnamara, 1995, times books edition, in english 1st ed.
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