Last week we asked readers for their favorite books on vietnam and the vietnam war. So i thought i would ask if you have an recommendations for books about vietnam fiction or non fiction to read when we are there. Mcnamara has written a brutally selfcritical memoir assigning himself much of the blame for. Mcnamara, secretary of defense for presidents kennedy and johnson, helped lead america into vietnam. 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. He was a strong believer in americas fight against communism, and thought it was his patriotic duty to serve. During kennedys administration, mcnamara supported the presidents decision to increase american involvement in vietnam. A reading list for many americans, the news of robert mcnamaras death at age 93 on july 6th brought back the whole cascade of difficult memories about what the war in vietnam meant to this country. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. In 1993, washington journalist deborah shapley published a 615page biography of robert mcnamara titled promise and power. Lyndon johnsons and robert mcnamaras deception of the joint chief.
Hamilton gregory volunteered for the army, and served three years, including one in the vietnam war in military intelligence. Also gives a brief background of himself, good book for anyone who wants more. Story of 7 battalions two tours of vietnam, 1967 to 1968 and 1970 to 1971. 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 misjudged then and we have since the geopolitical intentions of our adversaries and we exaggerated the dangers to the united states of their actions. 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 vietnam center and sam johnson vietnam archive. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and. Hank paulson, the financial version of that debacle. He played a major role in escalating the united states involvement in the vietnam war. 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 architect of the vietnam war served during the kennedy and johnson. Whatever the difficulties of the moment, he exuded a certainty that promised ultimate success.
His policies changed the way that the military operated and also shaped the strategy of the vietnam war. Mcnamara, clifford, and the burdens of vietnam 19651969. In retrospect by robert mcnamara overdrive rakuten. This book should be read and carried throughout their careers by every current and future military officer for decades to come. In retrospect mcnamarasbookis of particularinterest to the with lbj. 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. A copy of the book is in the white house library after tony blake gave a copy. 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 advisors who. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and the diaspora. We viewed the people and leaders of south vietnam in terms of our own experience. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
In retrospect, mcnamara pinpoints 11 causes for disaster in vietnam 5. The best books about vietnam as a country, not just the vietnam war. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. Also gives a brief background of himself, good book for anyone who wants more inside information of what led us to vietnam. 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. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. Mcnamara writes vietnam mea culpa merpofrs break silence on war ia 11, by thomas w. Type one or more words into a search box and hit enter or click the search button. Mcnamaras legacy mired in vietnam debacle despite robert mcnamaras efforts to rehabilitate his legacy in later life, none could have erased or even much eased what is. Mcnamara recalls, and regrets, vietnam the new york times.
During his lifetime he was perceived as a highflying academic, a. In the springof1967he confessed his apostasy to lbj. I am 4 weeks in to a rtw trip, currently in india in the lovely varkala. Outnumbered by those who wanted to continue fighting, he left the johnson administration and his. Lippman washolgton post stiff wrorr afterthree decades of refusing to discuss publicly his central role in the vietnam war, former defense secretary robert s.
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. 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. This new edition features a new foreword by mcnamara. Robert mcnamaras 11 lessons from vietnam renegade inc.
Robert mcnamara 1916 during the late 60s, many americans change their opinion of the vietnam war, gradually becoming opposed to the policies they once supported. 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. Dec, 2017 in this post, you will find a list of the best vietnam books to read in 2020. Mcnamara, clifford, and the burdens of vietnam 1965 1969. 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 the career of the former us secretary of defence robert mcnamara, who has died aged 93, had few parallels in american history.
Revisiting thoughtsengendered by mcnamaras retrospect. The wrong kind of loyalty mcnamaras apology for vietnam. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for. The abuse of mcnamara from the may 25, 1995 issue to the editors. I have broken down the best books about vietnam into helpful sections.
The tragedy and lessons of vietnam first edition by mcnamara, robert s. Robert mcnamara and the ghosts of vietnam the new york times. 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. Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. 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.
Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. The friday cover is politico magazines email of the weeks best, delivered to your inbox every friday morning. This is what robert mcnamara does in this brave, honest, honorable, and altogether compelling book. Those who write about these things as mere political concerns, and call such thinking the vietnam syndrome, can see, if they care to look here, that this was the real nature of the vietnam experience as it was weighed in the scales of up and down, when it was happening. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Mcnamaras primary goal in these activities was not just to explore the past but to try to learn for the future. What mcmaster gets wrong about vietnam politico magazine.
This book will reignite the passionate debate about the war, about mcnamara, and about the lessons we can take away from the tragedy. The tragedy and lessons of vietnam first edition by robert s. Sep 15, 2017 whats your favorite book about the vietnam war. Robert mcnamaras laudable goal, to put the past behind us, will only be achieved by understanding history, not by rewriting it. Eight writers recommend classics and modern classics from vietnam and the diaspora that touch on colonization, wars, and life after warall told through the vietnamese kaleidoscope. We failed then as we have since to recognize the limitations of modern, hightechnology military equipment, forces.
Mcnamara s last book on vietnam was one of the most controversial books ever published in this country. Thoughts engendered by robert mcnamaras in retrospect. These are among the questions that robert mcnamara and his collaborators ask in argument without end, a book that will stand as a major contribution to what we know about the vietnam war. Written twenty years after the end of the vietnam war, former secretary of defense robert mcnamaras controversial memoir answers the lingering questions that surround this disastrous episode in american history. In the fiction section, you will find the best books on vietnam war, other vietnam bestseller novels as well as novels set in vietnam. Always browse any or all travel pictorial books about a country, region or a natural wonder of the world. Physically, the mcnamara line ran across south vietnam from the south china sea to the laotian border along the vietnamese demilitarized zone dmz. Three moons in vietnam by maria coffey, and bound for vietnam by lydia laube are two good books about vietnam too. Kennedy administration of 19611963, robert mcnamara had important influence on the early escalation in. 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. 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. The story behind the mcnamara line by peter brush a version of this article appeared in vietnam magazine, february, 1996, pp. You will find excellent photography to view at leisure. Eight writers share their mustread books from vietnam and the diaspora by trang bui eight writers recommend classics and modern classics from vietnam and the diaspora that touch on colonization, wars, and life after warall told through the vietnamese kaleidoscope.
One of the most influential books about vietnam is david halberstams the best. 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. 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. The list of books attached to this posting that emanated directly from these conferences indicates their impact on scholarship. This book also meets mcnamara head on at his usual level.
Jul 06, 2009 mcnamara s legacy mired in vietnam debacle despite robert mcnamara s efforts to rehabilitate his legacy in later life, none could have erased or even much eased what is destined to be historys. 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 has 22 books on goodreads with 5511 ratings. Mcnamara and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Private pessimism in a private memorandumhegave to the president on 19 may1967, mcnamarapainted a darkpicture. In retrospectis nonetheless worth absorbing for the contributions it makesconcerning the vietnam policymakingprocess and the role therein that usintelligence did and did nor play. Robert mcnamara believes that american leaders acted out of honorable principles, as he argued in his 1995 book, in retrospect. Radford, memorandum to the secretary of defense, 20 may 1954. 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. Foreign relations of the united states, 195254, volume xiii, indochina, part 2, p.
A fascinating and extraordinarily candid examination of the errors of judgment of the best and the brightest of our civilian and military leaders during the vietnam war. Hubris, election year requisites, lyndon johnsons and robert mcnamaras deception of the joint chiefs of staff, the dismissal of. By 1967he hadturned to ciafor independent, candid analyses ofthe wars progress and hadcommissionedthe gathering of whatbecame thepentagonpapers. Secretaries of defense historical series, volume vi. In this post, you will find a list of the best vietnam books to read in 2020. But as deborah shapley makes abundantly clear in promise and power, her eminently readable and cleverly crafted biographical study of mcnamara, what the nation needed during the vietnam war era was not a whiz kid, not a supreme beancounter, but a leader of. 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. The career of the former us secretary of defence robert mcnamara, who has died aged 93, had few parallels in american history. Conscripts and regulars with the seventh battalion in vietnam. If you type multiple words, search results includes pages which feature any of the words pages with multiple and rare words are ranked higher. Mcnamaras folly by hamilton gregory vietnam veterans of. If you type multiple words, search results includes pages which feature any of the words pages with multiple and rare words are ranked higher 3. High government leaders arent generally known for flaunting their errors.
214 1410 1044 1476 849 1396 324 1464 1480 436 1066 277 952 1479 525 874 225 692 1551 786 912 1357 38 1334 1041 56 1415 1201 4