"Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (the whole peninsula of Indochina) present a puzzling picture, enigmatic to most foreigners and especially so to Americans. The very name Vietnam evokes deep emotions and bitter memories in our countrymen. But the tendency to blame Vietnam for our domestic ills has no foundation in fact. The problems of urban decay, racial disharmony, drug abuse, and all the rest were bound to plague us, whether or not we became involved in Vietnam. Indeed, one can argue that in the 1950s, well before we became heavily involved in Vietnam, a sense of national direction and purpose appeared to be lacking in the United States. This book looks at the Vietnam War from the perspective of a senior military professional who held important positions of responsibility during the conflict. Among other things, I will seek to bring out the lessons we have learned or should have learned from the war, and their implications for the future. The severe impact of the war on our armed forces and its almost disastrous effect on the U.S. Army will receive special treatment."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Military leaders from the United StatesSoldiersUnited States Military Academy alumniPeople from Austin
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p. vii-viii
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bruce_Palmer_Jr.
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Bruce Palmer Jr.
Bruce Palmer, Jr. (April 13, 1913 – October 10, 2000) was a noted United States Army General and acting Chief of Staff of the United States Army from July to October 1972. His father Bruce Palmer, Sr. was an Army brigadier general, and his paternal grandfather George H. Palmer received the Medal of Honor during the Civil War.
15 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Bruce Palmer Jr. →
Related Quotes
"Some of his ancestors were surely Irish, for he possesses the love of horse and hunting, the ready spirit, highly dev…"
"To my wife, Kay Sibert, and our children, Robin Helen, Maurene Elizabeth, and Bruce III, who knew full well the life …"
"Exactly twenty-five years from 1 May 1950- the day President Truman authorized the first U.S. military assistance to …"
"In the late 1950s, when Taylor was the Army chief under the Eisenhower administration, I served in his office as the …"
"Eventually the decision was reached to accept the armed chopper as an essential part of the air mobility concept but …"
"Looking back at this period (1965-1967), I have often wondered why General Taylor was seemingly unable to convince Pr…"
"Palmer essentially confirms the futility of the American commitment in Vietnam. He stresses, for example, that air po…"
"I have often reflected that General Abrams, who had worked so hard to make the South Vietnamese armed forces capable …"
"Both Abrams and Westmoreland would have been judged as authentic military "heroes" at a different time in history. Bo…"
"Even when heavy enemy battle losses are substantiated, one must be careful not to judge their psychological effect on…"