The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

My husband watched this movie during one of his Administration in Education classes, he decided to buy it and use it at the high school. He was very impressed with the "lessons" in the movie, it is worth the watch.

Found this an informative movie from Robert S. MacNamara's perspective.It is good to hear what people whose decisions affect many have to say. The lessons the former Sec. of Def. presents reflect his ability to draw lessons from history. And to share them.

Though Mr. MacNamara served in the military earlier in his life his tenure as Secretary of Defense does not appear to reflect an adequate understanding of war or of strategy.

This movie shows that what he may have once thought was a straight forward and apparently clear path to victory in SE Asia, turned out to be an extremely difficult, messy and costly affair. Management in the automobile industry is I think quite different to managing a war, due to the very nature of war.

At the end of the movie I was left wondering if Mr. MacNamara having shared his lessons with us was himself out of the fog. With the less than favourable situation we presently find ourselves in in the world today, perhaps we are all still wandering about in the fog.The title of this movie is therefore quite fitting for both the MacNamara years and today as well.

Vendor delivered the DVD on time and as ordered. I would order from them again.

Well, the CIA would probably agree with Lesson #9: "In order to do Good, You may have to Engage in Evil".... Seriously, this film makes people evaluate or re-evaluate thoughts about War.

This is an interesting documentary, for many reasons. Other people have thoroughly reviewed this, so I am only adding my "two cents." Some folks hate documentaries, but this is worth seeing and purchasing.

Director Errol Morris is noted for the numerous documentaries he has made over the years. Well researched and made with an objective viewpoint, he does what a true documentary film maker does. He assembles previous footage, shoots his own footage, conducts interviews and assembles it all to tell a story. Sometimes, as in the case of THE THIN BLUE LINE, he tries to make the viewer see the truth in what his film is about. But more to the point, he does this without setting someone up or trying to make someone look bad, without ridiculing someone in an attempt to make a point. Because of this, Morris deserved the recognition he received this past year as FOG OF WAR went home with the best documentary prize at the Oscars.

The film is a look back at Robert McNamara, past Secretary of Defense under both Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Some background about his life is offered, his family, his schooling and such, but for the most part, Morris wants to focus on his time under these two presidents and their involvement in the Vietnam War. Morris never attacks McNamara nor presents him as the cause of the way and our involvement in it. Instead, he presents a man who sincerely wanted out and whose advice was ignored.

The film is told in chapters, its title letting you know that at the beginning since the full title is FOG OF WAR: ELEVEN LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ROBERT S. McNAMARA. Each chapter moves in a progression as McNamara tells of the events in his life that formed him, from his time in the military during WW II through his recent past. The lessons that he has learned and tries to somewhat impart here are ones that everyone should follow, especially those in power.

McNamara was there during the missiles of October event, when we stared straight into the eye of the Russians and Cubans and said we were ready to go to war if need be. But his insight into this situation here is fascinating, helping the viewer to realize just exactly how close we came to all out nuclear war. And in his manner of presenting this fact, McNamara lets us know that he felt we would never have completely recovered from such a devastating event.

A majority of the film focuses on Vietnam. Recently released White House tapes made by both presidents are included here as we get a behind the scene glimpse of how the office works. While Kennedy values his advice and counsel, Johnson seemed to have taken him on only due to his being there when he took office. The fact that both men respected McNamara is evident as is McNamara's regret of having not removed America from Vietnam sooner.

Morris is a fantastic film maker, always letting the subject of his films speak out rather than forcing them to do so. His combination of archival footage with current interviews, his use of music and editing techniques have always made him a force to be reckoned with in the field. But it is his choice to give the viewer a glimpse into those subjects unfiltered that makes his films more real than those of any documentary film maker today.

While this film may not seem entertaining to most it is enlightening and informative. You walk away having a newfound respect for McNamara. And if you don't recall or remember the name, you find yourself wanting to discover more about him. And isn't that the objective of a documentary film maker? To draw the viewer into wanting to know more? Morris does that with ease. Let's hope he continues to do so.