The Fog of War 5/5
In a year when documentaries made the type of headlines normally reserved for blockbuster movies, The Fog of War stands as one of the best.
The film is essentially about former Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara and his look back at the World War II, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. His stint as the President of the Ford Motor Company is also highlighted since he went from there directly to the Cabinet of John F. Kennedy as Defense Secretary, after rejecting the position of Secretary of Commerce. In the film, he recounted how he met Kennedy in person but was reluctant to become Defense Secretary since he had nor training it. Kennedy replied that there also was no school for aspiring Presidents to attend, either.
Each chapter in the film is preceded by a “rule” that McNamara expands upon, with eleven in total.
McNamara gets a lot off of his chest, and says a few things that you wouldn’t expect to hear from someone whose career has been built around war and the efficient ways of killing people. At one moment, he asks the question about what makes it moral if you win but immoral if you lose.
Other interesting parts of the film include the story about McNamara meeting a Vietnamese General and clearing seeing that either side did not understand each other. The Vietnamese thought they were fighting the US to stave off becoming a US colony while what they really wanted to do was fight for their independence. Meanwhile, the US saw the war in the context of the Vietnamese becoming a Soviet asset.
McNamara also talks chillingly about how nuclear war was averted in the Cuban Missile Crisis by Kennedy listening to an advisor who told him to get into the mind of Khrushchev to see things from his perspective. Khrushchev was seen as a hero who prevented Kennedy from invading Cuba, which is what Kennedy hoped would happen. The ability to save face essentially saved the world.
Article comments
1 - rabit
"McNamara also talks chillingly about how nuclear war was averted in the Cuban Missile Crisis by Kennedy listening to an advisor who told him to get into the mind of Khrushchev to see things from his perspective."
This is what concerns me most with the current administration. Macnamara's First Rule of War: Emphathize with your Enemy. Is there anyone out there who honestly believes this has been part of the Bush strategy?
2 - johnboy
Funny, I watched it and saw a brilliant example of giving a man enough rope to hang himself.
The way they'd cross cut his dialogue from the present into the past exposing his dishonesty was, I thought, a pretty obvious cue his statements needed to be handled with care.
Anyway I certainly agree it's an absolutely brilliant documentary.
There's amazing new footage in there and the Philip Glass soundtrack perfectly underscores the hard mechanical mind of one of the 20th century's greatest criminals.