Path to War Page #13

cannot bring an end

to the war in the South,

and that indeed at the present time

it may well be prolonging that war.

Our troops are being killed

by the bullets

and the mines of the South.

If, by ending the bombing of the North

we can bring peace to South Vietnam,

we will save the lives

of thousands of...

I don't know

why you're worried about Kennedy

and your second term,

because I don't think your health

will survive your first term.

Where you going ?

I want to be useful to you.

And I would listen even

as you rant and rave,

but I have worked far too hard

and born

far too much to watch you

destroy yourself.

...major political elements

of South Vietnam, anticipate...

The bridge is a major target

and we've never hit it.

The chance of civilian deaths

will be almost zero.

I say one hundred to five hundred,

possibly more.

Which is it? Five hundred or zero?

Mr. President, the Stennis Committee

is up in arms over

our holding back on these targets.

Bob's testimony is coming up

and it might take some heat off him

if some of these can be cleared up

before his appearance.

I can take the heat without padding

my resume

with more bombing missions.

This is a heavily defended target

in a very populated area.

The photos are right here,

Mr. President.

The photos are meaningless,

the target is heavily defended.

The pilots jettison their bombs

when they re under attack.

Now, I've been asking for two years

why they don't come straight up

he river

that way they dump the bombs,

they go in the water and not

on the people

and I still haven't got an answer!

Coming in from the Gulf involves

an extra turn,

with our backs to those

heavy defenses.

If it is so well defended,

should we risk the pilots?

Men dying is a relative thing.

The effect of the air campaign

is cumulative.

Every blow makes the enemy stretch

his resources.

Stretching is a relative thing.

Mr. President,

we shouldn't be bombing

for punitive reasons,

but there just doesn't seem

any point to this anymore!

Hit it. Hit the goddamn bridge.

What's next.

Uh, number 309, sir,

the uh railcar repair shop...

Marg?

Marg!?

Oh, Jesus! Come to me. Come on.

I got you. I got you.

I got you. I got you.

I don't know what I'm gonna do, Marg.

Rostow, The Chiefs,

they're gonna drive this thing

straight to hell.

I won't be long.

Okay.

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four,

we don't want your f***ing war!

One-two-three-four

Hey-hey-LBJ

How many kids you kill today?

Hey-hey-LBJ

How many kids you kill today?

Hey-hey-LBJ

How many kids you kill today?

Hey-hey-LBJ

How many kids you kill today?

All right, take formation, spread out

Stop the war in Vietnam,

bring those troops back home!

Stop the war in Vietnam,

bring those troops back home!

Let's go! Let's go! File in,

move it up!

Hell-no, we won't go!

Hell-no, we won't go!

Hell-no, we won't go!

Hell-no, we won't go!

No rifle is to be loaded

without my permission.

I'll have the commanders go down

the line again.

Not one bullet, damn it!

Get off me! Let me go! Get off me!

Let me go! Just let me go!

Look, look at that.

There he is! That's McNamara!

Over there!

Secretary McNamara,

on behalf of the subcommittee,

let me thank you

for your appearance here today.

I have, from the beginning,

and do today,

fully support the objectives

of the bombing

to interdict men, and supplies

and hinder the enemy's ability

to wage war in the South.

In this I am 100% behind

the Joint Chiefs,

Admiral Sharp, General Westmoreland,

and his commanders,

as they are fully aware,

and as the President is aware.

We are all greatly encouraged

to hear that, Mr. Secretary.

You are the last to testify,

as you know,

and the overwhelming view

from General Wheeler and the others

is that there has been excessive

interference from your office--

If I'd be permitted to finish

my statement, Senator

Stennis, there are copies available

outside the hearing room.

Our greater objective, however,

was, and remains,

to persuade the leaders

of North Vietnam

that they cannot prevail.

In this we have been unsuccessful.

This is due to the fact

that North Vietnam

can sustain its forces in the South

with a mere 100 tons

of supplies a day,

through corrupt elements

in the South Vietnamese government.

Out of 359 targets recommended

by the Chiefs,

only 57 remain unstruck.

Two are battery plants manufacturing

a total of 600 tons a year,

not enough to fill the corner

of a Sears,

Roebuck regional warehouse.

Just a moment, Mr. Secretary!

There's a rubber plant producing

The service station where

I fill my car

could supply

the output of this facility.

Excuse my interruption.

Hitting these targets will cost us

in pilots, planes,

and hard cash, and they will kill

more and more civilians.

The military knows this.

They think it's worth it. I do not.

Hold on!

You know what he did to me out there?

It's like sellin your house

and your son takes the buyer aside

and tells him there's leaks

in the basement.

Now Hanoi knows we're divided

and they'll never stop.

I've gotta get rid of

that sonovabitch.

You can't just get rid of him.

The Republicans will play up

the disunity

and Bobby'll have a field day.

Bobby's clamorin for him to resign

don't you know,

to go public against me for doin

what he advised!

Look, we'll find a job for McNamara

where he won't be able to snipe

at you.

I'll help you fill his post

with someone you can trust.

I'll do anything I can for you,

Mr. President.

But we have a reelection campaign

to start

and we do not have a policy

to end this war.

Clark, you'll do anything you can?

They're ready for you, Mr. President.

Yep. I'll be out in a minute.

Sit down, Bob.

I'm sorry you found out

from the Washington Post.

I'm sure Fowler told you,

or the bank people.

Nobody told me anything,

Mr. President. I uh,

mentioned to you in the spring

that I'd been approached

by the World Bank,

but I thought

if you were going to nominate me,

you would have said

something yourself.

They're doin fine work

there--humanitarian work.

I know that's of interest to you.

Yes, but only if it's what you want.

If I can no longer be of service...

Service? Who's been of more service

to me than you?

Why you've served longer than any

Defense Secretary in history.

Look what you've had

to shepherd us through.

The Cuban crisis, two Cuban crisis,

Berlin, Dominican,

Middle East. Hell,

that's a tough enough job

in peace time.

And look what you've had to deal with

Mr. President, my point is,

I don't have to leave

until you want me to leave.

Bob, Joe Fowler asked me

for three nominees.

I said I only got one McNamara.

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