Review: Fog of War, The (2003)

"The Fog of War"

Robert Strange McNamara had a long and colorful series
of careers during his life, ranging from being one of
the best and brightest in military intelligence during
WWII through helming the Defense Department during the
height of the Cold War and Vietnam Conflict to a long
tenure as the head of the World Bank. Documentary
filmmaker Errol Morris ("The Thin Blue Line") has the
man himself tell us his story, particularly as Defense
Secretary under Kennedy and Johnson, in a series of 11
lessons that teach us about "The Fog of War."

McNamara, from the start of his long careers in both
public and private service, was always considered by
those around him as "an IBM machine with legs." He
graduated in the top of his class at Berkeley and went
on to his graduate studies, with top honors, at the
Harvard Business School. During World War 2 he
provided analysis in formulating the most efficient
way to devastate Japan prior to Hiroshima and Nagasaki
under Curtis LeMay. After the war and prior to his
stint under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations he
joined Ford Motors and implemented many safety ideas
that would later be included in all cars, such as
safety belts. He even spent 5 weeks as president of
Ford before resigning.

Robert McNamara rose to international prominence when
Jack Kennedy offered him the job of Secretary of
Defense. In that role he weathered such important
incidents in America's history as the Bay of Pigs, the
near nuclear war of the Cuban Missile Crisis and
orchestrated America's involvement and, under Lyndon
Johnson, escalation of the war in Vietnam. Documentary
maker Morris is fortunate to have the narrative of
this history by 85-year old McNamara as he lucidly and
accurately recalls the earth-shattering events such as
the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - the decision to
institutionalize and escalate the war in Vietnam that
may well have been based on false or erroneous reports
of North Vietnamese aggression.

The lessons that Robert McNamara bestows upon us
benefit from many years of hindsight that should, but
will likely not, be heeded by the leaders of the world
today. For instance, Lesson #8: Be prepared to
reexamine your reasoning - could be applied to the
recent overzealous decision to eliminate the weapons
of mass destruction in Iraq. All of the lessons
provided make sense and should be the gospel of those
people who control our very lives with their
often-rash decisions.

McNamara unassumingly tells us all of the frequently
sordid details of America's history during his time as
Secretary of Defense. He is a natural in front of the
camera and his narration of the many events he was
personally involved in give a telling perspective of
the time. The man's grasp of politics and sociology
provides a wealth of information that, while not
something I believe totally, gives at least a version
of the truth through Robert Strange's eye.

Errol Morris also provides an episodic history of the
US as he, in conjunction with his subject's life,
tells of both great and personal events, from the
firebombing of Japan's cities (and using the
equivalent-size American cities for destruction
comparison - Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy), to
McNamara and his wife's battle with polio and his
award of the Medal of Freedom - the highest honor that
the United States can bestow upon a civilian.

Extensive footage, photos and taped conversations
between McNamara and presidents Kennedy and Johnson
provide a perspective as to why events during the 60's
played out the way they did. There is also footage and
photos of such notables as Fidel Castro, Barry
Goldwater, Richard Nixon, Franklin Roosevelt, Woodrow
Wilson and Curtis LeMay. This documentary also shows
the toll on the commander in chief as Johnson makes
one decision after another to try to keep the war from
escalating but is helpless to do so. In the span of a
few short years you see the president age decades as
events envelope him and his government. McNamara also
brings to light a subject that was also documented in
the enthralling indictment, "The Trials of Henry
Kissinger." The former Secretary of Defense tells
about how Kissinger sabotaged Johnson's peace efforts
only to end the war, five years later, with virtually
the same terms. More than half of the Vietnam War's
deaths took place during that period.

Morris only gives us one, biased viewpoint in his
document of American history but it is a succinct,
clearly told memoir by a remarkable man who was, good
or bad, instrumental in shaping US world policy.
Lesson #9: In order to do good, you may have to engage
in evil - may well be McNamara's excuse for executing
a war that, by his own admission, could not be won.

McNamara explains that war is too complex a thing for
the mind of man to understand and, maybe if his
lessons learned are applied, we may not have to
experience "The Fog of War" again. I give it a B+.


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robin.TakeThisOut@reelingreviews.com
laura.TakeThisOut@reelingreviews.com

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