Analysis of the Fog of War Eleven Lessons by Robert S....

The Fog of War Eleven Lessons by Robert S. McNamara was in so much as a great representation of the life of Robert S. McNamara. It showed his life to be dramatic and traumatic in many different ways. The lessons he learned and shared during the documentary movie were truly astounding to me. I personally thought the movie was a tad bit on the boring side, but it was a documentary after all. The Fog of War was a very informative piece of work. During Errol Morris s documentary, The Fog of War, Eleven Lessons by Robert S. McNamara former Secretary of Defense McNamara, one of the most infamous figures of the Vietnam era, proves to be a greatly compelling figure, someone who can be self-critical and reflective about the decisions he made to†¦show more content†¦As McNamara himself acknowledges, he would have been viewed much differently historically had the United States lost World War II, leading one observer to recall Benjamin s observation that history is written by the undefeated victors. The Fog of War also offers a astounding critique of what McNamara refers to as rationality, which might be understood in terms of the relentless and calculated efficiency that was a part of his celebrated image as a World War II decider and as an executive at Ford (he helped in the development of seat belts), an observation that challenges some of McNamara s earlier assertions. Again, this willingness to engage in self-reflection, if not self-criticism, was compelling, even with McNamara s refusal to answer some of these points, and perhaps because of the refusal, the things he couldn t, or wouldn t say. The film implies several moments that may tempt people to make and or draw comparisons between Vietnam and Iraq. Several of McNamara s lessons readily acknowledge this perception, including his first lesson, Empathize with your enemy. McNamara comments only about his role in the Vietnam War, never mentioning Iraq or the current war, but it s most relatively clear from the unsaid language that heShow MoreRelatedThe Objectives Of The National Military Strategy Essay1980 Words   |  8 Pages, The history book of continuum of conflict demonstrates lessons learned that military leaders should consider in achieving these objectives. Among them the need to be empathizing with your enemy is a great lesson regarding the deterrence especially when you discover that â€Å"those with power to start a war frequently have lack of power to stop it.† Furthermore, if deterrence fails at any time the escalation of war will suffice to end the war and demonstrates determination, capability and will to endRead MoreVietnamese Attitudes toward China in the 20th Century2496 Words   |  10 PagesVietnamese Attitudes toward China in the 20th Century In a recent documentary about the lessons from the life of former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, McNamara recalls an incident that took place in Vietnam in the 1990s. While visiting Vietnam after relations between the United States and Vietnam began to normalize, McNamara asked the Vietnamese leaders how they had managed to continue the war with the United States for so many years, making huge sacrifices in the process. McNamaras interlocutorsRead MoreStrategy Safari by Mintzberg71628 Words   |  287 Pagesmanagement needs to be opened up, not closed down; it needs reconciliation among its many different tendencies, not the isolation of each. To enrich the experience of this safari, we hope to follow up with a Guidebook. We have also prepared an Instructor s Manual to facilitate the use of this rather unconventional book in the classroom. We owe many thank-yous. Bob Wallace of The Free Press must be especially singled out. In the musical chairs world of publishing these x EMBARKATION days, to be