Quote:
Originally posted by Doc.2/47
It doesn't seem reasonable to conclude that Johnson's escalation was based solely,or even primarily,on political considerations..
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LBJ was following in the steps of his prdecessors, he inherited a nighmare and absolutely did not have a plan when he took over. he depended heavily on the advisors already then in place and they fcked him bad, no doubt--he also had his own personality problems. They did not adapt to a changing situation and did not consider diplomacy.
he was trying to win an unwinnable war, it had been set up long before he came into power. The war was never winnable by our requirements: an independent non Communist SVN--that was just NOT going to happen.
We created SVN and we could not abandon it--untill we did. That was a big part of the problem or at least Main Problem 2A.05.
LBJ had the option of escalation or withdrawal at any time, as did truman, Ike and JFK before him but, heavily assured by hawks that the war was winnable, he took the wrong option and what youre reading here is is misgivings about it--he knew the generals were full of it but he had to go with it. I'm glad he at least considerd the options.
The whole fcking war was what comes of listening to generals, or at least Colonels, starting with Lansdale.
James.
Happy just to be alive
"I call it the Madman Theory, Bob"
Richard M Nixon