In essence, we went to war, American has a war in Vietnam without a strategy. As a result, the discourse around Vietnam War decision making masked the long term costs and consequences. What he wanted was a course of action in Vietnam that would allow him to escape a difficult choice between war and disengagement. The principal failure, I think, was one of character across the board in which Lyndon Johnson viewed Vietnam principally as a danger to his domestic political priorities. The responsibility was shared by the president and his key civilian and military advisors. It was both a political and a military failure. Would you say the major errors made in that war were political or military or both? Your very hard on LBJ, for example, saying that his strategy was built largely on lies. It later served as a basis for your book, Dereliction of Duty, which is still read very widely in the US military and beyond. The PhD thesis that you wrote at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was very critical of the American strategy and military leadership during the Vietnam War. We might have to edit that out of the recording actually H.R., but thank you. Then I read biography voraciously as I still do, especially Andrew Roberts biographies.Īndrew Roberts: No, you're not allowed. These are areas that kindled my interest in history. There's a new museum of the American Revolution there, which would not have been there as I was growing up, but of course Independence Hall and all of the historical sites in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin's home. She cultivated in me a curiosity about history by visiting historical sites, battlefields, and of course, in Philadelphia, the cradle of our republic to Constitutional Hall, which is a great display of historical documents. She taught in the school district of Philadelphia for almost 40 years. My mother was a teacher and a phenomenal teacher. McMaster: Andrew, it's so great to be with you. But before we come onto those periods in your life, please tell us who taught you history and where did your interest arrive from? H.R., history and the past have always played an important role in your life as you have a PhD in American History and you've also taught history at West Point. He's now a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. He's also known for his prominent roles in the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm. To view the full transcript of this episode, read below:Īndrew Roberts: HR McMaster is a retired US Army Lieutenant General who served as the 25th National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018. McMaster speaks about his time as President Trump's National Security Adviser, American mistakes during the Vietnam War, his belief in learning from the past to help to think strategically about the present, and finally he discusses what the Biden Administration is getting wrong and right about the Russo-Ukrainian War. Distinguished combat commander Lieutenant General H.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |