In Retrospect: The Tragedy & Lessons of Vietnam

**** By Robert S. McNamara. This is a must-read. You. Go. Read. NOW.

McNamara was the Secretary of Defense in the years 1961–68, having worked under JFK and LBJ and having quit/been fired shortly before the Tet Offensive. He writes this book not so much as a memoir as an extensive review of U.S. policy in Vietnam during that period and his role in that policy. And he reflects on what we can learn from Vietnam, so as to not make the same mistakes in the future (and, as the case may be, the present).

I think this is one of the best introductory books to Vietnam that you can read (not that I've read any others so far, but this one is that good). My own knowledge of the war was shamefully weak before reading this, and while I've still got a lot to learn, I'll be better prepared. This book makes a good introduction to Vietnam because McNamara spells out the why of pretty much every (mis)step that our leaders took in getting us into that tragic and controversial war.

McNamara goes through his years as Secretary in sequence, explaining the rationale for the policy decisions and the reasons that policy failed time after time. It's heartbreaking reading of the numerous times when something could have gone differently — but misjudgment, miscommunication, disagreement, ignorance, lack of exploring alternatives, and misaligned priorities steered us into a mire that was all too difficult to pull out of. Meanwhile, I came to understand what the U.S. interest in Vietnam was in the first place, and that, regardless of whether one agreed with the war, McNamara and our Presidents had at least one thing right: they were opposed to introducing nuclear war at all costs.

McNamara makes no excuses nor does he beg for forgiveness, but the book is rife with true regret and sorrow. He doesn't make villains of other players in Vietnam policy decisions, even though he himself was against the war by the time he left his position as Secretary. The writing is very straight-forward and not at all dry. As nonfiction goes, it's a quick read.

In the book's appendix, McNamara further discusses his views on nuclear war and the need for full disarmament. With India and Pakistan knocking heads again at this time, this discussion proved particularly relevant.

The Random House Vintage Edition includes an appendix with many critical articles and editorials on the book, which was met with much controversy at its 1995 publication. ("Why didn't McNamara do something when he was in office? Isn't it a bit late?") These, too, were valuable reads. I have to say, though, that as a person who was born after the Vietnam War ended, who never knew McNamara when he was at the forefront of current events, I can't bear him any anger. I can't imagine the grief and turmoil he's lived through, shouldering so much of the blame for all those deaths, but it's senseless to damn him, or our other mistaken leaders of that time, now. And I'm glad he spelled out everything in this book.

Go. Read. It.

Posted by Lisa on June 3, 2002 09:37 AM