Elusive Victories_ The American Presidency at War-Oxford University Press (2012)

212 e lusive v ictories be worse, with a tragic revival of American isolationism that the world could not aff ord. Johnson was n ...

s taying the c ourse 213 demonstrate American fi rmness to audiences both at home and abroad. Th e initial incident was followed ...

214 e lusive v ictories year, marked by a series of negative indicators—ongoing political turmoil among South Vietnamese leaders ...

s taying the c ourse 215 appear almost swayed by their warnings. Th en McNamara or Bundy would crisply discount their arguments, ...

216 e lusive v ictories Johnson did exercise full control, by contrast, over the politics of going to war in Vietnam—whether to ...

s taying the c ourse 217 which he denied that the additional troops represented a change in American policy.  Johnson’s refusa ...

218 e lusive v ictories stated the situation in terms that echoed the Korean precedent: “Th e fi rst reality is that North Viet- ...

s taying the c ourse 219 Unlike Wilson and Roosevelt, Johnson did not seek to transform the international system. He had inherit ...

220 e lusive v ictories Asia, and the Pacifi c, if it became bogged down in Vietnam. Th us, by upholding promises to Saigon, oth ...

s taying the c ourse 221 confl ict was another matter. Military leadership would vex Johnson throughout the war. Problems starte ...

222 e lusive v ictories beyond the guerrilla phase. Th e task now fell to arriving American con- ventional troops. Th ey would f ...

s taying the c ourse 223 hinted that future promotions would be based on experience in coun- terinsurgency operations.)  None ...

224 e lusive v ictories fi t poorly with a war waged under such tight political constraints. In addition, the JCS chafed under t ...

s taying the c ourse 225 the burden of fi ghting VC/NVA regular formations. His suggestions received a favorable response from t ...

226 e lusive v ictories In a summer 1967 trip to Vietnam, McNamara blurted out to reporters that he thought Westmoreland had eno ...

s taying the c ourse 227 Map 4.1 Communist Infi ltration into South Vietnam ...

228 e lusive v ictories moving to the third phase, a general off ensive to topple the Saigon gov- ernment, which they were eager ...

s taying the c ourse 229 Soviet Union or China.  The administration barred the mining of Haiphong harbor, the key port for the ...

230 e lusive v ictories North Vietnamese support for communist forces attacking South Vietnam and as a means to pressure Hanoi t ...

s taying the c ourse 231 each time, following some delay while the arguments were rehashed, Johnson would agree to resume the ai ...