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Summary: "FOG OF WAR" APPLIES TO BATTLE, NOT COMMAND!!
Review: I love Errol Morris's work -- genius stuff. I have many thoughts about this movie, but just want to share one:McNamara uses the phrase "fog of war" so effectively in the movie, but that phrase refers to the chaos on the ground in battle. Yet he was at the top of a chain of command MOUNTAIN, with the broadest view possible. So for him to excuse his errors in judgment because they were due to the "fog of war" is, at best, INACCURATE, and at worst, (self?) DECEPTIVE. I only hope that my take on this resonates with others who watch the movie. I felt that McNamara was still doing damage control and duping me four decades after the fact!
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Summary: An Important Work for Further Study
Review: The Fog of War is an interesting DVD from the perspective about how people make decisions about important matters of life and death. The entire movie is an interview with Robert S. McNamara the Secretary of Defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He tells a lot of the detail about his personal life including his academic career and rise to head Ford Motor Company. The main lessons begin when he leaves the position at Ford to head the Defense Department. Secretary McNamara was a central figure in both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. He uses vignettes from both to illustrate the central eleven lessons. The eleven lessons explore the cognitive and moral reasoning that occurs during war. These are important lessons with relevance to the decisions that any country makes when they make a similar decision. The analysis here includes such topics as the unilateral use of power, what is morally appropriate in war and the limits of rational thought during war. He discusses the interactions he had with President Johnson and some disagreements they had. Most importantly he presents a synthesis and conclusions in some of these areas. The central theme about how there is a lack of clarity in many war time decisions and the fact that this leads to significant moral mistakes where large numbers of innocent people die is well discussed. He is able to illustrate these points with clear examples of encounters he had during the actual events and in retrospective reconstruction with his counterparts from the former Soviet Union and Vietnam. I heard at least one critique about this film that criticized it for not really being a documentary, but presenting a viewpoint. I think that is clear both from the format and the occasional off camera questions by the film maker. I think there also might be a question about how robust the data is that are represented, in terms of the factual basis of some statistics. Balancing these questions was a compelling fact that the US and the Soviet Union had three very close calls in terms of nuclear war. Before hearing statement, I was aware of only two of these incidents and would have appreciated an elaboration of these incidents and how they were processed by the US military and executive branch at the time. In spite of a few style points, I found the format of this film and the content compelling. McNamara's viewpoint is both from a man who was there in history at the time and a man who has thought about what happened and revisited it many times. Although there is the limited detail of a film, the general observations here are both historically relevant and can be applied to current government decisions about war and terrorism. After I watched the film, I went down to my local bookstore and tried to purchase a hard copy of the book. I was surprised to learn that the book will not be available until this fall. I hope that both the book and the film will be studied, discussed, and researched at all levels - as a way that mankind can get serious about trying to prevent these problems in the future. George Dawson
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Summary: valuable retrospective of the decisions of war
Review: In his own words Robert Strange McNamara tells of his early life and his career, notably his service as Secretary of Defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Through his narrative, viewers obtain a unique retrospective on critical international events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the bombing of Japan and the Vietnam War. McNamara sticks to the history. His personality is revealed by the way he speaks about events he found moving, but he dodges the tough personal questions, such as those about his family, his responsibility and his sense of guilt. Clearly a reflective man, the lessons he provides are worthy of consideration by all, not just government leaders. In seeing some of the same mistakes made in current foreign relations as those McNamara recounts, viewers recognize the cycle of history, and human falliability.
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Summary: Lessons Learned
Review: For his award-winning documentary, "The Fog of War" - a study of the moral complexities of war and those who wage it - Errol Morris has found the perfect subject in Robert S. McNamara, the man who served as Secretary of Defense in the early days of the Vietnam War. McNamara is astute, articulate, lively and thoughtful, and as a wizened man of 85, he is able to look back on the events of his life with the kind of analytical clarity and sober-minded judgment that only old age can provide. Wisely, Morris allows McNamara to speak for himself, providing very little in the way of poking and prodding as interviewer and filmmaker. McNamara looks at his long and varied career through the prism of eleven lessons he's learned about life and human nature. Each of these revelations is tied into a specific chapter of that career and life. We see McNamara taking stock of his actions as they relate to World War II, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and most notably, of course, the Vietnam War, in each case ruminating aloud about the moral imperatives and ethical decisions he faced on a daily basis as his crucial role in all of these events played itself out. Some may find his comments to be a bit self-serving, an attempt to whitewash the facts and minimize his own responsibility, particularly as concerns his involvement in the Vietnam War. Yet, in many instances, McNamara accepts the judgments of history and admits his culpability, even if he generally does so in a broader war-is-a-necessary-evil context. There are moments during his reminiscence when McNamara actually wells up with tears, thinking about the immense loss of life and personal tragedy that inevitably result from man's insane obsession with destroying his fellow man - while all the time acknowledging that at times wars must be fought and casualties endured for a greater cause. All throughout the film, McNamara returns to this refrain, additionally warning us that, in the nuclear age in which we live, the human propensity for warfare could very easily lead us over the precipice to global devastation and annihilation as a species. We have little reason to believe that McNamara is not being sincere in his comments, although some more cynical viewers may wonder if he isn't merely saying what he thinks he should be saying in order to secure a more favorable reputation and image for himself as his life comes to a close. If that is, indeed, the case, Morris seems blissfully unaware of it, since he basically accepts McNamara's statements at face value. As an added - and perhaps unintended bonus - much of what McNamara says has a pertinent, timely, almost prescient ring to it, as the U.S. struggles through yet another foreign engagement, this time in Iraq. As a documentary filmmaker, Morris demonstrates his usual skill at combining archival footage with one-on-one interviews as a way of bringing his subject matter to life. The caveat here is that Morris provides no counter voices to challenge any of McNamara's statements or his interpretation of events. Yet, as McNamara relates the story of his life, a fascinating history of 20th Century American foreign policy emerges in the background. We see many of the seminal figures from McNamara's time playing out the roles history and the fates assigned to them, from John Kennedy to Lyndon Johnson to Nikita Khrushchev to a whole host of other key players on the world stage. In addition, Philip Glass and John Kusiak have provided a haunting score to go along with the haunting images. As the title suggests, this is a complex film on a complex subject and McNamara and Morris leave us with no pat or easy answers. That is as it should be.
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Summary: Winning and Losing in the 20th and 21st Centuries
Review: Anyone interested in understanding how the U.S. can win or lose in current and future conflicts should see "The Fog of War." Harvard Professor, Industrial Chief Executive Officer, Secretary of Defense to President's Kennedy and Johnson, Robert McNamara provides us with a compelling portrait of a man whose calculator-like mind continues to view and understand war almost exclusively through its physical dimensions. McNamara's heart may have compelled him to get things off his chest before he dies. For tens of thousands of Americans killed in Vietnam and their families as well as millions of Vietnamese who were killed, it's unfortunate that McNamara's heart didn't play a bigger role in his earlier educational development and decisions about 20th century war. While providing significant and rich historical detail and insight, "The Fog of War" also depicts the number one "Whiz Kid" stumbling and falling due to an incomplete and immature understanding of how to win in war's mental and moral dimensions. It's useful to consider how an understanding of Sun Tzu's, "The Art of War" (written in approximately 500 BC) could have shaped McNamara's thinking and the history of the 20th century. This visibly rich documentary with haunting music provides an important foundation for understanding some of the human strengths and weaknesses that led to decisions and events -- Air Power's industrial fire bombing of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in cities across Japan and Germany, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War -- that continue to shape and influence a world where ordinary American heroes continue to live and die as the world's greatest hope.
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Summary: A Powerful Historical Documentary
Review: I was a young man during the Vietnam war, and I can remember Robert McNamara on television talking about the war. To be honest, I never liked the man at that time. Like many Americans, I grew to believe that the Vietnam war was wrong, and McNamara was one of the main cogs in the war machine.
This documentary puts more of a human face on the man. Yes, he did participate in the planning of the bombing of Japan in WWII, and was Secretary of Defense in the Vietnam war. But his lessons described in the documentary should be taken to heart by all Americans and especially politicians and leaders. In some portions of the film he appears to try and defend his actions, but only with partial success. His eyes and his trembling voice belies the fact that he does hold himself at least somewhat responsible.
For people who are working towards peace, this is a must-see. For people that think war is the answer, it is also a must-see. A wise person once said (to paraphrase) "Whoever doesn't learn from the past is doomed to repeat it". After watching this video and looking at the events of our time, it drives the point home even more.
Watch it, realize that perhaps we are making the same mistakes that this man warns against. Robert McNamara is obviously a very intelligent man. What a waste that so much of that intelligence that could have been used towards the betterment of mankind, had to be used to facilitate the death of so many. That is the lesson that can be learned from this film.
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Summary: Interesting Insights into "Mac the Knife's" mind and life
Review: Robert "Mac the Knife" McNamara gives us a rare glimpse into the mind of the Secretary of Defense that led us into the tragedy of the Vietnam War. He gives an interesting assessment of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when we avoided nuclear war by shear luck, as well as the moral ambiguity behind our raising of Japanese cities in WWII. The eleven lessons he goes through should be considered by those leading us into another war where we are alone and opposed by allies.
The first lesson is "empathize with your enemy" which gave a narrow way out of the Missile Crisis of 1962. He labels the U.S., Castro, and Krushchev as "rational"; very debatable as far as putting missiles in Cuba to begin with, LeMay's desire for war, and Castro's willingness to sacrifice Cuba in a nuclear war for Socialism.
We hear taped conversations of JFK and Mac about Vietnam, and learn of Mac's belief that JFK would NOT have escalated the way Johnson did, Chomsky's views notwithstanding. Mac was fired by LBJ in 1967 and was out of the loop for "Nixon doctrine in its purest form", namely the massive bombing of Cambodia that led to the Khmer Rouge genocide ("The Killing Fields" tells this story well).
LeMay was quite correct: had we lost the war he and Mac would have been executed for war crimes committed in Japan. Mac was complicit in genocide in Vietnam, and with him Hanna Arendt's phrase, "the banality of evil" comes to mind. In hindsight he is haunted by what he's done, but is reluctant to second guess history, or at least to publicly incriminate himself. In the end we get the impression of an ordinary man who reveals a sentimental side as he becomes tearful a few times.
I hope his vision of the future comes to pass: no more war.
That vision he has is a contrast to his actions in Vietnam. Many have learned the lesson of the past. Those in charge of the world now don't seem to be in this group.
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Summary: Re:Out of context and some dubbing detected
Review: I was hoping more would be discussed about the War on Terror and the world today, but other than that this is one of the best documentary's I've seen.
In response to the ridiculous review review by Matthew W. Cero "The Goalie", it should be noted that the movie is "clipped" together because in the beginning of the movie, McNamara talks of hanging sentences and how if he pauses in mid sentence, he will just continue from where he left off.
It should not suprise anyone that parts are "clipped" together because an 85 yr old pauses in mid sentence
As for the claim that 100,000 dead civilians was dubbed in, he may not move his lips but he's sure moving his tongue. He didn't become a ventriloquist at 85!
Some people need to wake up. This movie isn't for partisan hacks.
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Summary: A gem of a documentary
Review: Whatever your views are of Robert McNamara he is certainly engaging, articulate, and spirited in this fascinating and well-crafted Errol Morris film. The discerning viewer will appreciate the attention to detail here with its skillful editing and haunting footage as well as the superb but not overdone Philip Glass soundtrack. Ten years from now, even twenty years from now, it will remain highly watchable.
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Summary: A testimonial from a pivotal historical figure
Review: It is hard to imagine it, but before Donald Rumsfeld, Robert McNamara was the most controversial Secretary of War since Edwin Stanton (FYI, he served under Lincoln).
The reviews all testify to the fact that liberals and conservatives have pro and con views of both the man, and the film which examines what he believes he has learned from two wars and decades of reflection over the consequences. Some of his conclusions are admittedly self-serving, but taken in the context of the current American foreign policy, it is a credible contrast.
McNamara poignantly admits to making mistakes and perhaps questions the morality of those choices. He still tears up when he recalls President Kennedy, and his anguish between loyalty to LBJ and wanting to untangle the mess Vietnam ultimately became reveal an honesty and humanity few public figures exhibit.
The score by Philip Glass adds depth and gravitas to an already somber theme (the brutality and pain of war), and director Errol Morris' use of extreme close-ups and off-kilter editing do much to reveal the pain, and at times desperation with which McNamara seeks to warn us of the potential consequences of our actions. Particular in this regard is his recollection of Tommy Thompson's lone voice of opposition during the Cuban Missile crisis. According to "Mac", it was pure dumb luck that saved us from apocolypse, and if not for a single voice of reason, it is likely that Kennedy would have followed the advice of the Joint Chief's and ordered an invasion of Cuba. Castro later revealed that not only had there been operational warheads on Cuba (which could have killed tend of millions of Americans), but he had advised their use had the US invaded. It begs the question, how would President Bush have handled this crisis, and what would have been the cost? Extrapolation to the current day, and current handling of the war will yield interesting conclusions.
Viewer's may watch this film with pre-conceived notions of who Robert McNamara was, and the long-term effects of his decisions. But as America enters its second year of Iraqi liberation/occupation, few men are more qualified than he is to warn us of the dangers of military/political hubris. It is a timely documentary, and a voice, very much worth listening to.
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