McNamara did not understand war. He tried to run it like a business, which it only vaguely resembles. The tanks do break down just about as often as a Ford, but they were made by Chrysler.
Bobbie made many mistakes. Morale was effectively undermined by the enemy who most of our generation never recognized as sophisticated socialismos. Our rank and file were pathetically easy to sway into anti war stances. Mc should have taken a leaf out of Geobbels and David Loyd George's book and beat the drums more effectively. The massive onslaught of drugs into North America co-incidental with that time was also we may surmise at least partially orchestrated by unfriendly forces. It was a global pandemic designed to sap the will of a fundamentally rebellious people. They turned that rebellion inward and the army in Nam became ineffective.
In any real war battles may cause casualties of up to ten per cent per battle. American forces were unable to sustain that sort of attrition and maintain cohesion. Their equipment and intelligence was marginally better than the Korean war, but their will to fight was not there. The make-up of its army was tragically misshapen. A conscripted force of inner city proles and blacks, non of whom felt like they wanted five minutes of rain forest K-rations let alone bad food, bugs, rot and death all around to boot for two years. Not that anyone looks forward to that, but if you fight, you endure.
Even former soldiers like Kerry who smelled something very wrong, should have taken another look at what being a soldier is all about. It is about committment to the unit and the cause. Winning. To politicize it is pointless. You don't ask why. Roman soldiers did not ask why, nor le Grande Armee, nor Alexander's men. Sure there was an explanation, but most knew it was hooey. We may assume that Kerry is grabbing votes, but if he were up for colonel, I would not rehire him.
That is why it is far better if an army is volunteer. The all volunteer army of the Gulf performed well, with finally updated equipment. American forces of just about every previous war had from Revolutionary to D-Day had fought with ill tried tactics, weapons and leaders. The US is never well prepared for war. It is an ugly necessity that will be with us for a while until we evolve beyond it.. we had better get used to be ready from now on.
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