Tuesday, July 19, 2005
R.I.P. Gen. William Westmoreland
General Westmoreland is gone.
It will serve no purpose to dwell at length on his failures. Others have done that exhaustively. Perhaps I may come to that later.
I think the nation should be grateful for the yeoman service he gave us all in WWII and in Korea:
Military history is full of examples of fine brigade and division commanders who were eventually promoted beyond their abilities. The most glaring example I can think of now is Confederate General John Bell Hood.
Hood was one of the hardest-hitting soldiers anywhere as a brigade and division commander. But when he was given command of the Army of Tennessee, his lack of operational flexibility, and his relentless focus on the tactical offensive when he had no business attacking cost him his command and the lives of thousands of good, brave warriors - and the undying enmity of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
So, too, I think, was General Westmoreland eventually promoted beyond his capabilities. Perhaps I'm wrong, and his hands were tied from Washington. If that were truly the case, though, he should have resigned his post in protest.
The greatest tragedy, however, is that Westmoreland presided over a decline in the basic institutional integrity of the Army. His focus on body counts, for instance, was too easily coopted by unethical subordinates, and inflated for purposes related more to the advancement of an officer's career than to positive results on the battlefield.
That said, every career soldier deserves my respect. I have no doubt that even though his final postings were beyond him, General Westmoreland did the level best he knew how to do, and busted his ass for his country for decades.
Thank you, General.
See you at the pass-in-review.
Splash, out
Jason
It will serve no purpose to dwell at length on his failures. Others have done that exhaustively. Perhaps I may come to that later.
I think the nation should be grateful for the yeoman service he gave us all in WWII and in Korea:
Westmoreland saw action in North Africa, Sicily and Europe during World War II. He attained the rank of colonel by the time he was 30.
As commander of the 34th Field Artillery Battalion fighting German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, he earned the loyalty and respect of his troops for joining in the thick of battle rather than remaining behind the lines at a command post.
Military history is full of examples of fine brigade and division commanders who were eventually promoted beyond their abilities. The most glaring example I can think of now is Confederate General John Bell Hood.
Hood was one of the hardest-hitting soldiers anywhere as a brigade and division commander. But when he was given command of the Army of Tennessee, his lack of operational flexibility, and his relentless focus on the tactical offensive when he had no business attacking cost him his command and the lives of thousands of good, brave warriors - and the undying enmity of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
So, too, I think, was General Westmoreland eventually promoted beyond his capabilities. Perhaps I'm wrong, and his hands were tied from Washington. If that were truly the case, though, he should have resigned his post in protest.
The greatest tragedy, however, is that Westmoreland presided over a decline in the basic institutional integrity of the Army. His focus on body counts, for instance, was too easily coopted by unethical subordinates, and inflated for purposes related more to the advancement of an officer's career than to positive results on the battlefield.
That said, every career soldier deserves my respect. I have no doubt that even though his final postings were beyond him, General Westmoreland did the level best he knew how to do, and busted his ass for his country for decades.
Thank you, General.
See you at the pass-in-review.
Splash, out
Jason
Comments:
I have often thought that Hack was like that; he went as high as he could really have gone, I think...
Vous avez un blog très agréable et je l'aime, je vais placer un lien de retour à lui dans un de mon blogs qui égale votre contenu. Il peut prendre quelques jours mais je ferai besure pour poster un nouveau commentaire avec le lien arrière.
Merci pour est un bon blogger.
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Merci pour est un bon blogger.
