I only knew “McNamara” from the reference in the Simon and Garfunkle song:

I been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored.
I been John O’Hara’d, McNamara’d.
I been Rolling Stoned and Beatled till I’m blind.
I been Ayn Randed, nearly branded
Communist, ’cause I’m left-handed.
That’s the hand I use, well, never mind!

source

The first album I ever bought was Simon and Garfunkle.

Though I grew up in the Vietnam era, I was never a vocal protester. My mind was on local things. Sport. School. Friends.

Later I became strongly anti-war. (that’s a separate post)

I’d heard great things about a documentary called The Fog of War and finally got around to downloading it.

It’s fantastic.

Robert Strange McNamara is one of the most interesting and compelling figures in modern history.

He was hand-picked by President Kennedy to become Secretary of Defense in 1961 and was a senior advisor on US policy through until he was fired (or quit) in 1968.

McNamara recommended the Bay of Pigs invasion and was at the table during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Three times the USA came close to using nuclear weapons.

McNamara has said that the Domino Theory was the main reason for entering Vietnam. His resolve to “win” the war waned, especially after protester Norman Morrison set himself on fire Nov. 2, 1965, dousing himself in gasoline, holding his baby girl, in front of McNamara’s office. (The baby was saved.)

Though McNamara was “the chief architect of the Vietnam war”, he eventually came to believe it a mistake. LBJ lost confidence and let him go.

Film maker Errol Morris had a fantastic story. And did a fantastic job of editing. I recommend it to one and all.

Though many of the “lessons learned” could be applied to Iraq, McNamara has consistently refused to comment. And he has never apologized.

The Fog of War – Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

The Fog of War – Wikipedia

You can watch the movie free in a tiny window with streamed video.