Chapters 23-24 Summary and Analysis

Johnson was basically a peace candidate when he won the 1964 election. McNamara was the big supporter of bombing and was making a case for bombing. He collected information about atrocities against American soldiers to present to the President to build his case. The President's thinking began to change after the Vietcong attack on Qui Nhon. Years later McNamara was to say that he had doubts about the bombing while he supported bombing one hundred percent in meetings.

The situation in South Vietnam was deteriorating. The Vietcong were stronger and so was the amount of infiltration. Rusk was still undecided about the issue of bombing but McGeorge Bundy was beginning to support the action. After the inauguration the issue of Vietnam could no longer be ignored and they proposed a trip by Bundy. The team up of Bundy and McNamara...