“Fog of War” is a documentary film in which former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara attempts to justify his actions while in his position, and to offer the insight that he has gained through his accomplished career. He offers eleven lessons that he gathers to be the most important that he has learned in his life, through experience in war and life in general. McNamara comes off as intelligent, well accomplished, and confident in the first half of the lessons. These lessons are concrete and easily understood.
The lessons become ambiguous and the idea shifts after lesson six. The lessons turn from being life lessons to McNamara’s personal life, applying them to the mistakes he made in regards to the Vietnam War. In a way, it is like an apology and an attempt to justify what he and President Johnson did. He says that everyone makes mistakes, that it is part of human nature, and his tone also shifts. Instead of being confident and outspoken, he starts to avoid questions and says he will not comment on Vietnam anymore, for war is unexplainable.
I have sympathy for McNamara. One can never know what they would have done in his situation, and I think he did what he thought was best. He also butted heads with President Johnson a lot and I think that people overlook that. I do not think either person should be blamed for the war but I do believe that they made costly mistakes. McNamara seems content with his life’s work and I think making this film probably relieved some of the stress he might have had over the years.
“Fog of War” is a documentary film in which former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara attempts to justify his actions while in his position, and to offer the insight that he has gained through his accomplished career. He offers eleven lessons that he gathers to be the most important that he has learned in his life, through experience in war and life in general. McNamara comes off as intelligent, well accomplished, and confident in the first half of the lessons. These lessons are concrete and easily understood.
ReplyDeleteThe lessons become ambiguous and the idea shifts after lesson six. The lessons turn from being life lessons to McNamara’s personal life, applying them to the mistakes he made in regards to the Vietnam War. In a way, it is like an apology and an attempt to justify what he and President Johnson did. He says that everyone makes mistakes, that it is part of human nature, and his tone also shifts. Instead of being confident and outspoken, he starts to avoid questions and says he will not comment on Vietnam anymore, for war is unexplainable.
I have sympathy for McNamara. One can never know what they would have done in his situation, and I think he did what he thought was best. He also butted heads with President Johnson a lot and I think that people overlook that. I do not think either person should be blamed for the war but I do believe that they made costly mistakes. McNamara seems content with his life’s work and I think making this film probably relieved some of the stress he might have had over the years.
Upon further discussion I see a different interpretation of McNamara’s reasoning behind this film. He tries to relieve a lot of the responsibility that was put on him, and transfers it over to President Johnson and General Westmoreland. I think in his old age, McNamara did not want to be remembered for his actions during the Vietnam War, but rather as an innocent man who tried his best at his job. I respect his attempt to leave the world with some dignity, and I think his emotions were real, but I think he placed blame a lot.