General William Westmoreland Thanks the White House

This buildup included the initiation of a war of attrition at the behest of the Johnson administration’s foreign policymakers, and development of one of the largest military logistical support organizations for U.S., Allied, and South Vietnamese forces in history. MACV, under Westmoreland’s command, was the primary U.S. military, and in many respects political, policy-formulating and implementing body in South Vietnam. Westmoreland as Commander controlled all army elements, managed the U.S. military advisory and assistance efforts, advised the U.S. ambassador, and oversaw many Allied units and agencies in South Vietnam.

Throughout his tenure as Commander of MACV, Westmoreland maintained its objective – “to assist the Government of Vietnam [South Vietnam] and its armed forces to defeat externally-directed and supported Communist subversion and aggression and attain an independent South Vietnam functioning in a secure environment” – in the forefront of his operational planning, in discussions with Washington regarding troop force levels and strategy, and in the search for peace and public concensus on the war. In time he became known for highly publicized, positive assessments of U.S. military prospects in Vietnam; he saw himself as responsible for “presentation of sound evidence of progress in Vietnam.” As time went on, the strengthening of Communist combat forces in South Vietnam led to his regular requests for increases in U.S. troop strength, from 16,000 when he arrived to its peak of 535,000 in 1968 when he was promoted to Army Chief of Staff.General Chester (Ted) Clifton was Westmoreland’s classmate at West Point and then been assigned to the same artillery unit after graduation. By the 1960s they had known each other for almost three decades. In 1964 Clifton, who had served President Kennedy as Senior Military Aide, was now holding the same position with President Lyndon B. Johnson. Thus Clifton was the man in charge of White House liaison with the military. In June 1964 when Johnson decided to appoint Westmoreland to command the American effort in Vietnam, it was Clifton who had the responsibility of providing official notification to Westmoreland, which he did on June 17. 

Typed Letter Signed on his general’s letterhead, 30 June 1964, to Clifton. “Thank you for your thoughtful note of June 17th inclosing the copies of the nomination announcement and the press conference…Needless to say, this is a most complex situation and the challenge is beyond dimension. Be assured I shall give it my best efforts…” Westmoreland was right to think the challenge beyond dimension. All the lives, money and effort could not, in the end, bring success.