Friday, October 14, 2016

Book: McNamara's Folly ("Project 100,000" inductees)

Bill Laurie, HistorianCan only rely on reviews, two of which follow below, but this could be a very important book, one documenting McNamara's near-criminal policy of inducting sub-standard recruits who would not have been eligible for military service under previous standards.




Much of prior commentary has been anecdotal and this appears to be the first book addressing the Project 100,000 matter exclusively. BY most accounts it was a disaster for both the military and the unfortunates who were forced into an environment way over their head. It went beyond that sometimes with near-sociopath criminal elements being inducted. In both these instances, they caused disruption in their units and their induction was an abomination. It is quite probably that these misplaced individuals were more abusive to Viet Nam civilians. These people should never have been in the military, and never deployed to Viet Nam. This is yet another count of the U.S. government's (?) de facto criminal negligence in Viet Nam, SE Asia.
. Why has it taken 45 years for this subject to be addressed in depth and detail?






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