Foreign relations of the united states, 195254, volume xiii, indochina, part 2, p. Even during the most difficult days of the vietnam warwhich would eventually overwhelm him and president lyndon johnsonmcnamara did not lose sight. He won a pulitzer prize for international reporting in 1964. Secretary of defense robert mcnamara published in retrospect, the first of his three books dissecting the errors, myths and miscalculations that led to the vietnam war, which he now believes was a serious mistake. Ward, including jazz, the war and, most recently, the roosevelts, it stands in its own right as a richly illustrated work which utilises evocative primary sources to the full within a strong narrative framework.
He played a major role in escalating the united states involvement in the vietnam war. As such, north vietnam s actions were said to be a challenge to american credibility. The best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war. His papers are housed at the state university of new yorkbuffalo. The vietnam war lasted about 40 years and involved several countries. 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. The vietnam war is a 10part american television documentary series about the vietnam war written by geoffrey c. Written by recognized authorities, this readyreference volume provides essential information all in. During kennedys administration, mcnamara supported the presidents decision to increase american involvement in vietnam. Their correspondence is collected in the letters of robert duncan and denise levertov 2003. Hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. 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. On 20 may 2014, former new south wales police officers roger rogerson and glen mcnamara murdered student jamie gao in cold blood. It was the height of the vietnam war, and i had volunteered for service in the u.
What makes mcnamara s reversal so remarkable is that he is the individual responsible for executing government policies in vietnam from 1961 to 1968. The film was directed by errol morris and features an original score by philip glass. 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. On october 2nd they submitted a brief report on vietnam to president john f. We also suggest you take them along on your trip as they can be so beneficial when you get lost, or when you try to find activities to fill in spare time in a day. The essential reference guide provides a compendium of the key people, places, organizations, treaties, and events that make up the history of the war, explaining its causes, how it was conducted, and its farreaching consequences. 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. 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. The fog of war provides the background behind the academy award winning documentary by errol morris. For them and anyone else who needs a refresher course on america in vietnam, here is a short reading list from among the thousands of books written about the war. Nov 08, 2012 our books experts recommends 10 authors to read on the conflict. Mcnamara was an american business executive and the eighth u.
Halberstam was killed in a car crash in 2007, while doing research for a book. Robert mcnamaras laudable goal, to put the past behind us, will only be achieved by understanding history, not by rewriting it. Lang served as academic advisors for errol morriss film. Known as the architect of americas vietnam policy, mcnamara embodied the phrase the best and the brightest, the title of david halberstams classic account of the group of. 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. 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 series is one of the few pbs series to carry a tvma rating. High government leaders arent generally known for flaunting their errors. Mar 02, 2015 the best histories of the vietnam war.
An inside account of the vietnam war and its aftermath. Mcnamaras first substantive public comment on the war after almost three decades in which he declined to discuss it. Roger rogerson by duncan mcnab books hachette australia. The vietnam center and sam johnson vietnam archive. The vietnam war is the companion volume to the 10part, 18hour ken burns pbs documentary series of that name but like other books coauthored by him and geoffrey c. Robert mcnamaras vietnam deception by nathan, james a. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect. He is the only son of three children of the former united states secretary of defense, robert mcnamara 19162009 and margaret craig mcnamara 19151981. 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. 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. Pioneers in the field of critical oral history, they teach at brown universitys watson institute for. Argument without end in search of answers to the vietnam. These books will all help you as you plan your vietnam holiday.
Revisiting thoughtsengendered by mcnamaras retrospect. This book will reignite the passionate debate about the. Mcnamara has 22 books on goodreads with 5550 ratings. In a 1995 memoir, he called the vietnam war and crucial decisions he made as. David halberstam april 10, 1934 april 23, 2007 was an american writer, journalist, and historian, known for his work on the vietnam war, politics, history, the civil rights movement, business, media, american culture, and later, sports journalism. The architect of the vietnam war served during the kennedy and johnson administrations. The script is by geoffrey ward, and the series is narrated by peter coyote. The wrong kind of loyalty mcnamaras apology for vietnam.
During his lifetime he was perceived as a highflying academic, a. 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. Learn about vietnam war protests, the tet offensive, the my lai massacre, the pentagon papers and more. Robert duncan died in san francisco in 1988 after a long battle with kidney disease. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Mcnamara says the ultimate cause of failure in asia lay with the south vietnamese.
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 use of lowiq troops in the vietnam war kindle edition. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on 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 mcnamara s war. Jul 06, 2009 former defense secretary robert mcnamara died monday at the age of 93. The quiet american by graham greene, a bright shining lie. The story behind the mcnamara line by peter brush a version of this article appeared in vietnam magazine, february, 1996, pp. Mcnamara is a 2003 american documentary film about the life and times of former u.
Our clients include johns hopkins university press, georgetown university press. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Find below a list of the most popular vietnam travel books. Hubris, election year requisites, lyndon johnsons and robert mcnamaras deception of the joint chiefs of staff, the dismissal of. He was a strong believer in americas fight against communism, and thought it was his patriotic duty to serve. Jul 06, 2009 robert mcnamara spent the last chapter of his life striving mightily to atone for the sins his sins of vietnam. John paul vann and america in vietnam by neil sheehan, matterhor. The abuse of mcnamara from the may 25, 1995 issue to the editors. Mcnamara, in full robert strange mcnamara, born june 9, 1916, san francisco, california, u. Mcnamara, secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, helped lead america into vietnam. In some respects the book is an admission of guilt by mcnamara. In july of 1965, facing an insurgent viet cong and yet to see signs of a u.
Mcnamara recalls, and regrets, vietnam the new york times. In retrospect, mcnamara pinpoints 11 causes for disaster in vietnam 5. I would like to produce a second vietnam documentary featuring more stories. Mcnamara illustrating his observations of the nature of modern warfare. One morning in the summer of 1967, i sat with more than a hundred men in a room at the armed forces induction center in nashville. Dec 10, 2002 in 1971, former marine daniel ellsberg leaked documents that exposed us government lies and helped end the vietnam war. Whatever the difficulties of the moment, he exuded a certainty that promised ultimate success. Salvaging the deficient for the war effort the vva veteran. Duncans political views on the vietnam war cost him his friendship with the poet denise levertov. Introduction on september 7, 1967, at a press conference in washington, dc, united states secretary of defense robert mcnamara announced plans for the construction of an electronic antiinfiltration barrier below the demilitarized zone dmz, the line of. We failed then as we have since to recognize the limitations of modern, hightechnology military equipment, forces. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. An inside account of the vietnam war and its aftermath tang, truong nhu on.
Since 1977 hopkins fulfillment services has provided distribution services for a distinguished list of university presses and nonprofit institutions. 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 best histories of the vietnam war council on foreign. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. See more ideas about robert mcnamara, john fitzgerald and presidents. If you are touched by these stories please consider making a donation. Mcnamara, three other former american officials, two retired generals and six historians would sit down with former north vietnamese officials, diplomats, generals and scholars led by nguyen co thach, a courtly former foreign minister, for a fourday discussion of what americans call the vietnam war and vietnamese call the american war. Mcmasters only book, dereliction of duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the united states involvement in vietnam. In his later writings and interviews, he expressed regret for the decisions he made during the vietnam war. Mcnamaras controversial book tells the inside and personal. Jul 06, 2009 the career of the former us secretary of defence robert mcnamara, who has died aged 93, had few parallels in american history. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory vietnam veterans of. In retrospectis nonetheless worth absorbing for the contributions it makesconcerning the vietnam policymakingprocess and the role therein that usintelligence did and did nor play. The first episode premiered on pbs on september 17, 2017.
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