Posted on Jul 1, 2017
Ball recommends compromise in Vietnam - Jul 01, 1965 - HISTORY.com
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Undersecretary of State George Ball submits a memo to President Lyndon B. Johnson titled “A Compromise Solution for South Vietnam.” It began bluntly: “The South Vietnamese are losing the war to the Viet Cong. No one can assure you that we can beat the Viet Cong, or even force them to the conference table on our terms, no matter how many hundred thousand white, foreign (U.S.) troops we deploy.” Ball advised that the United States not commit any more troops, restrict the combat role of those already in place, and seek to negotiate a way out of the war.
As Ball was submitting his memo, the U.S. air base at Da Nang came under attack by the Viet Cong for the first time. An enemy demolition team infiltrated the airfield and destroyed three planes and damaged three others. One U.S. airman was killed and three U.S. Marines were wounded.
The attack on Da Nang, the increased aggressiveness of the Viet Cong, and the weakness of the Saigon regime convinced Johnson that he had to do something to stop the communists or they would soon take over South Vietnam. While Ball recommended a negotiated settlement, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara urged the president to “expand promptly and substantially” the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam. Johnson, not wanting to lose South Vietnam to the communists, ultimately accepted McNamara’s recommendation. On July 22, he authorized a total of 44 U.S. battalions for commitment in South Vietnam, a decision that led to a massive escalation of the war. There were less than ten U.S. Army and Marine battalions in South Vietnam at this time. Eventually there would be more than 540,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam.
@ SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Capt Christopher MuellerCOL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft SSgt (Join to see)Capt Seid WaddellSrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. SFC(P) Hercules Lobo MSG Tom EarleyPVT James Strait Alan K. PO1 William "Chip" NagelSGT John " Mac " McConnell SFC William Farrell LTC (Join to see) SSgt Robert Marx PO1 Tony Holland Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey
As Ball was submitting his memo, the U.S. air base at Da Nang came under attack by the Viet Cong for the first time. An enemy demolition team infiltrated the airfield and destroyed three planes and damaged three others. One U.S. airman was killed and three U.S. Marines were wounded.
The attack on Da Nang, the increased aggressiveness of the Viet Cong, and the weakness of the Saigon regime convinced Johnson that he had to do something to stop the communists or they would soon take over South Vietnam. While Ball recommended a negotiated settlement, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara urged the president to “expand promptly and substantially” the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam. Johnson, not wanting to lose South Vietnam to the communists, ultimately accepted McNamara’s recommendation. On July 22, he authorized a total of 44 U.S. battalions for commitment in South Vietnam, a decision that led to a massive escalation of the war. There were less than ten U.S. Army and Marine battalions in South Vietnam at this time. Eventually there would be more than 540,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam.
@ SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Capt Christopher MuellerCOL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft SSgt (Join to see)Capt Seid WaddellSrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. SFC(P) Hercules Lobo MSG Tom EarleyPVT James Strait Alan K. PO1 William "Chip" NagelSGT John " Mac " McConnell SFC William Farrell LTC (Join to see) SSgt Robert Marx PO1 Tony Holland Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey
Ball recommends compromise in Vietnam - Jul 01, 1965 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.com
Vietnam War
American History
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
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It is not surprising that Undersecretary of State George Ball advised that the United States not commit any more troops, restrict the combat role of those already in place, and seek to negotiate a way out of the war SP5 Mark Kuzinski
The State Department has generally been a place where the naïve in international affairs get promoted far too often.
We failed to learn the lessons of WWII when we fought constrained conflicts in the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam. Total war is the only way to win against communist insurgencies and radical Islamic supporters for that matter.
For total war to be applied, the State Department diplomatic approaches must be complementary and supplementary to the war effort.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell SGT Michael Thorin LTC Wayne Brandon
The State Department has generally been a place where the naïve in international affairs get promoted far too often.
We failed to learn the lessons of WWII when we fought constrained conflicts in the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam. Total war is the only way to win against communist insurgencies and radical Islamic supporters for that matter.
For total war to be applied, the State Department diplomatic approaches must be complementary and supplementary to the war effort.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell SGT Michael Thorin LTC Wayne Brandon
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
"We failed to learn the lessons of WWII when we fought constrained conflicts in the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam." Well put LTC Stephen F.
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Good morning, Mark, and thanks for the morning post. I had forgotten about Ball's defeatist, placating stance in the early days of the war. He obviously never studied history. Negotiations and appeasement have never been an effective long-term solution when a political entity has wanted to overtake a neighboring country. It is only a delaying tactic. Neville Chamberlain's actions prior to WWII are a perfect example of the results of appeasement and compromise. His guarantee of "peace for our time" in September 1938 lasted for about a year. Unfortunately, Ball's statements became self-fulfilling prophecies from governmental indecision and trepidation.
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
Good morning Richard and so very very true - Chamberland's agreement was not worth a nickle.
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