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In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam
by Robert S. McNamara, Brian Vandemark
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Diane Pub Co (1995-12)
ISBN: 0756753597
EAN: 9780756753597
Dewy Decimal #: 959
Hardcover: 414 pages
SKU: 28718
Condition: New
Comments: THE HARDBACK BOOK! TIMES BOOKS, 1995. THE UNABRIDGED 1ST EDITION. 1ST PRINT. HARDCOVER W/GILT LETTERING, DUST JACKET AND PAGES ARE NEW! Rapid shipping w/FREE tracking. GREAT PACKAGING . Air Mail.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
The #1 national bestseller--an indispensable document for anyone interested in the Vietnam War. McNamara's controversial book tells the inside and personal story of America's descent into Vietnam from a unique point of view, and is one of the most enlightening books about government ever written. This new edition features a new Foreword by McNamara. of photos. (Military History)
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Detailed but Shallow
Rating  (2)
Date: 2008-09-26
I found Robert McNamara's recounting of US involvement in the Vietnam war to be informative but one-sided and still blind to the magnitude of the role he played in this horrible piece of history. Too often, McNamara leaves the impression he was little more that a leaf being swept along in the river rapids, not one of the nation's most powerful cabinet officers, Secretary of Defense.
The most painful part of this book is that only a couple of times--and then only in passing--does the author take any heed (then or now) of the thousands of body bags and maimed soldiers being returned from the war. To read this book, the real tragedies going on were the disagreements in the in the plush cabinet room and banquet rooms of Washington. Beyond that, the real lessons of Vietnam seem to have been missed--certainly by the nation's most powerful cabinet officer.
Further, for a purported sober history on the "tragedy and lessons" of the time, I find distasteful the constant, casual use of nicknames for the players, such as "Dick" (Helms), "Mac" (Bundy) and, most chillingly, "Westy" (General Westmoreland), whose constant hunger for more troops to throw into combat was insatiable. Overall, I was left with the impression that not only was the powerful McNamara trying to convince us he was one of the wars greatest skeptics, he was a lone voice of opposition. There's something sadly insincere about this book that makes it a tragedy of its own.
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An interesting perspective
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-09-02
I learned a lot about the Vietnam War from the White House perspective in reading this book, and I can't help but wonder where was McNamara's remorse when we were all being drug off to fight a war that none of us could believe was ever necessary in the first place. I also find his call for the elimination of nuclear weapons rather naive, but at least it's good that someone believes it would work.
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The Hobo Philosopher
Rating  (5)
Date: 2007-10-11
I give this book five stars because the writing was good and the revelations of historical import and like they used to say on American Bandstand - It had a good beat and was easy to dance to.
In many ways I find Mr. McNamara's exposures rather unbelievable. I believe that he is sincere - but that's the scary part.
Mr. McNamara in just speaking frankly, reveals the big problems with our executive class and it rulership of America. Some of his explanations (excuses) are scary. Not that there was something clandestine going on but that this is how our intelligentsia and ruling class actually think. I have always known as F. Scott Fitzgerald said that the wealthy aren't like the rest of us but wow! This is really something to read.
At the end of the book he list what we should have learned from VietNam and some cogent thoughts on nuclear proliferation.
The book is worth the price to read just these conclusions. It is more than obvious that the present administration did not read this book.
Books written by Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher:
"Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.."
"A Summer with Charlie"
"A Little Something: Poetry and Prose"
"Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother"
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Imperial Bureaucrat
Rating  (3)
Date: 2007-10-06
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
We, my wife and I, listened to an abridged audio version discarded by our local public library. Vietnam seems to be ancient history.
We were relieved to learn from Mr. McNamara that killing and mutilating all those Americans and Vietnamese was due to shortcomings in the U.S. Imperial Standard Practice Handbook. That is, another memorandum with just the right distribution list or another meeting with the right agenda would have set everything straight.
We had become concerned over the last half century that our leaders had lost their ethical and moral compasses and had become two-bit chislers after reneging on elecions in Vietnam in the mid 1950s.
There are a couple of things that Mr. McNamara could help us understand. Where do we find a copy of the oil lease assignment maps for Vietnam's South China Sea coast of the early 1960s? The samizdat copies have become unusable. We would also like to know whether the flat earth conservatives gave warning before they struck John?
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important
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-08-12
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I gave this book 5 stars because I believe it is an important historical document. Robert McNamara explains some of his beliefs and reasoning that helped to shape our country's position in Vietnam in the 60's.
There is also information here that may be new to many people , for example, he gives convincing evidence that president Kennedy had decided to begin withdrawal of our personnel by the end of 1963, and have everyone out by 1965.
In chapter 11 , he gives a brief list of our failures in Vietnam and the lessons we can learn from them. I thought his advice in this chapter was excellent, but I fear it will fall on deaf ears. McNamara may well be considered a relic of a bygone age , with nothing to offer the decision makers of today. Too bad.
I also highly recommend the essays , reviews (pro and con) and excerpts in the substantial appendix to the Vintage edition. For example, a surprisingly plausible defense of our country's involvement in Vietnam is given in the article "The Case for War" by W.W. Rostow.
Anyone interested in the Vietnam war should own this book
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