A Fatal Mistake the Vietnam War.

Robert S. McNamara, appointed by John F. Kennedy to the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1961, said about the Vietnam War, "It is important to recognize it's a South Vietnamese war. It will be won or lost depending upon what they do. We can advise and help, but they are responsible for the final results, and it remains to be seen how they will continue to conduct that war," (McNamara 72). Despite these guidelines …

…U.S. were unable to crush the nationalistic Vietnamese freedom fighters. Works Cited Chant, Christopher. The Military History of the United States: The Vietnam War, the Early Days, Marshall Cavendish, New York, 1992: 9, 22, 25, 38. Dougan, Clark. A Nation Divided, Boston Publishing Company, Boston, 1984: 48. Encarta. Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, 1998, "Vietnam War." Goldstein, Donald M. The Vietnam War: The Story & Photographs, Brassey's, Washington, 1997: 3. McNamara, Robert S. In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam, Times Books, New York, 1995: 72, 76, 218, 219, 220, 240.