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Dereliction of Duty
- Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam
- Narrated by: H. R. McMaster
- Length: 15 hrs and 58 mins
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Publisher's summary
"The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C." (H. R. McMaster, from the conclusion)
Dereliction of Duty is a stunning analysis of how and why the United States became involved in an all-out and disastrous war in Southeast Asia. Fully and convincingly researched, based on transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations, and decisions, it is the only book that fully re-creates what happened and why. McMaster pinpoints the policies and decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the published theories of other historians and excuses of the participants.
A riveting narrative, Dereliction of Duty focuses on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy, and other top aides who deliberately deceived the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US Congress, and the American public.
McMaster’s only book, Dereliction of Duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the United States involvement in Vietnam.
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While most historians of the Vietnam War focus on the origins of US involvement and the Americanization of the conflict, Lien-Hang T. Nguyen examines the international context in which North Vietnamese leaders pursued the war and American intervention ended. This riveting narrative takes the listener from the marshy Mekong Delta swamps to the bomb-saturated Red River Delta, from the corridors of power in Hanoi and Saigon to the Nixon White House, and from the peace negotiations in Paris to high-level meetings in Beijing and Moscow.
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Understanding politics in SE Asia.
- By Mark U. on 04-26-15
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Thirteen Days
- A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis
- By: Robert F. Kennedy
- Narrated by: Kurt Elftmann
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
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In October 1962, when the United States confronted the Soviet Union over its installation of missiles in Cuba, few people shared the behind-the-scenes story as it is told here by the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In this unique account, he describes the hour-by-hour negotiations, with particular attention to the actions and views of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. In a foreword to this edition, the distinguished historian and Kennedy adviser Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., discusses the book's enduring importance and the significance of new information about the crisis that has come to light from the former Soviet Union.
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IF YOU LOVE HISTORY"""
- By Max & Lucy on 02-24-19
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How Wars End
- Why We Always Fight the Last Battle
- By: Gideon Rose
- Narrated by: Gideon Rose
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1991, the United States Army trounced the Iraqi army in battle only to stumble blindly into postwar turmoil. Then in 2003 the United States did it again. How could this happen? How could the strongest power in modern history fight two wars against the same opponent in just over a decade, win lightning victories both times, and yet still be woefully unprepared for the aftermath? Because Americans always forget the political aspects of war.
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Excellent book
- By Luis on 11-04-10
By: Gideon Rose
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My Journey at the Nuclear Brink
- By: William Perry
- Narrated by: Kevin F Spalding
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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My Journey at the Nuclear Brink is a continuation of William J. Perry's efforts to keep the world safe from a nuclear catastrophe. It tells the story of his coming of age in the nuclear era, his role in trying to shape and contain it, and how his thinking has changed about the threat these weapons pose. In a remarkable career, Perry has dealt firsthand with the changing nuclear threat.
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His journey has just begun
- By Amazon Customer on 04-18-17
By: William Perry
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Before the First Shots Are Fired
- How America Can Win or Lose Off the Battlefield
- By: Tony Koltz, Tony Zinni
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
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For the better part of the last half century, the United States has been the world's police, claiming to defend ideologies, allies, and our national security through brute force. But is military action always the most appropriate response? Drawing on his vast experience, retired four-star general Tony Zinni argues that we have a lot of work to do to make the process of going to war-or not-more clear-eyed and ultimately successful.
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A must read for leaders
- By Ted on 06-17-22
By: Tony Koltz, and others
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Gambling with Armageddon
- Nuclear Roulette from Hiroshima to the Cuban Missile Crisis
- By: Martin J. Sherwin
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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In this groundbreaking look at the Cuban Missile Crisis, Martin Sherwin not only gives us a riveting sometimes hour-by-hour explanation of the crisis itself, but also explores the origins, scope, and consequences of the evolving place of nuclear weapons in the post-World War II world. Mining new sources and materials, and going far beyond the scope of earlier works on this critical face-off between the United States and the Soviet Union — triggered when Khrushchev began installing missiles in Cuba at Castro's behest....
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Important History
- By J. B. Evans on 06-12-21
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Not One Inch
- America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate
- By: M.E. Sarotte
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins
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Based on over a hundred interviews and on secret records of White House-Kremlin contacts, Not One Inch shows how the United States successfully overcame Russian resistance in the 1990s to expand NATO to more than 900 million people. But it also reveals how Washington's hardball tactics transformed the era between the Cold War and the present day, undermining what could have become a lasting partnership.
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America's NATO problem
- By Jeffrey D on 03-24-22
By: M.E. Sarotte
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America's War for the Greater Middle East
- A Military History
- By: Andrew J. Bacevich
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro, Andrew J. Bacevich
- Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins
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From the end of World War II until 1980, virtually no American soldiers were killed in action while serving in the Greater Middle East. Since 1990, virtually no American soldiers have been killed in action anywhere else. What caused this shift? Andrew J. Bacevich, one of the country's most respected voices on foreign affairs, offers an incisive critical history of this ongoing military enterprise - now more than 30 years old and with no end in sight.
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A Key to Understanding the US Need for Perp. War
- By Darwin8u on 05-01-16
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George Marshall: A Biography
- By: Debi Unger, Irwin Unger
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
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A major historical biography of George C. Marshall - the general who ran the U.S. campaign during the Second World War, the Secretary of State who oversaw the successful rebuilding of post-war Europe, and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize - and the first to offer a complete picture of his life.
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Disappointing
- By Jean on 11-12-14
By: Debi Unger, and others
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Ike's Gamble
- America's Rise to Dominance in the Middle East
- By: Michael Doran
- Narrated by: Casey Jones
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
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In 1956 President Nasser of Egypt moved to take possession of the Suez Canal, thereby bringing the Middle East to the brink of war. The British and the French, who operated the canal, joined with Israel in a plan to retake it by force. Despite the special relationship between England and America, Dwight Eisenhower intervened to stop the invasion.
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Tightly Argued
- By Jean on 01-10-17
By: Michael Doran
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Surge
- My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War
- By: Peter R. Mansoor, General David Petraeus - foreword
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
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Surge is an insider's view of the most decisive phase of the Iraq War. Using newly declassified documents, unpublished manuscripts, interviews, author notes, and published sources, Surge explains how President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Ambassador Crocker, General Petraeus, and other U.S. and Iraqi political and military leaders shaped the surge from the center of the maelstrom in Baghdad and Washington.
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Helpful for the Army War College
- By BBP on 02-24-18
By: Peter R. Mansoor, and others
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What listeners say about Dereliction of Duty
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Michael
- 08-17-20
the truth behind the failure into Vietnam
The history of America's decent into Vietnam began with president Kennedy's administration and was drivin further down a path with no foreseeable future for success. simply put, H.R.McMaster walks you through the abdication of responsibility by the joint chiefs of staff, President Lyndon B Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara to the American people. the Joint chief of staff focused on how to win tactically but failed to speak thw truth regarding the full requirements of success. This detailed book accounts for all the decisions, misjudgments, comprises, and omissions that led to Vietnam.
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- Walter
- 10-08-23
The blunders that led to a war of folly in Vietnam
H.R. McMaster, in his first book, scrutinizes the American decisions and decision-making processes that led to American intervention in Vietnam.
McMaster ultimately concludes that it was the incompetence, and indifference to the outcome, by the POLITICAL leaders of the era, namely LBJ's sidelining of the military leadership, that made America blunder into a war that could not be won.
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- John
- 07-02-19
everybody lied ...
under Lyndon Johnson (and predecessors. to a lesser extent) ...everybody lied about the Vietnam War
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- Kindle Customer
- 11-13-20
Great Read
Very insightful and thought provoking. Made it clear to me how the political aspirations of seniors in the government can truly impact why and how our military goes to war. Also clearly shows me how much military leadership has to focus on their military objectives an
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- Thomas Considine III
- 12-04-19
Well written and researched
This was a very comprehensive, well written, and throughly researched book that tells the story of the political aspect of the war that rarely gets much attention.
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- Jonathan R. Zeko
- 02-07-21
Everything that a non-fiction historical work should be!
Sheds this some time to myth that a military man is not a scholar. This was a compelling story about an abject failure of civilian and military leader ship told in a straightforward style. General McMaster also did a wonderful job reading his work. This book should be required reading as it represents the greatest failure of a president in modern history. There are so many lessons for future leader ship in this book. Thank you General McMaster.
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- Merle Newman
- 10-10-18
A General Speaks Truth to Power
The author most recently served as National Security Advisor to President Trump departing after just one year apparently over differences with the President. This book is a detailed analysis of what when wrong in Vietnam from the perspective of a highly educated US military officer who was not a decision maker at that time. The focus is on the period of 1962 to 1965 and while very detailed it is also very repetitive. But if you want to get riled up (again) over the handling of the Vietnam War this is the book for you. The author is the narrator. His performance as a narrator is unpolished but sincere. It’s worth the read.
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- Male in Chicago
- 05-02-19
A strong and well written argument
A strong and well written argument regarding the current belief that the Vietnam War or Limited Police Action in South Vietnam, was caused by deceit and lies, and that Johnson would do whatever it took to get the Great Society passed
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- Steve Dietrich
- 03-22-20
A MUST READ FOR THE LESSONS OF HISTORY
John F Kennedy declared , in one of his early speeches , " there is no place too far away to fight for freedom" and began the quiet insertion of US Special Forces into Vietnam. It was part of his effort to move away from Mutual Assured Destruction , sending US advisors to work with foreign nations including South Vietnam. Those advisors were officially stationed in the US and TDY to far off places
Kennedy also brought HBS and Ford whizkid David McNamara into the administration. Throughout it's history the nation the President, as commander and chief of the military , has had a very close relationship with the Chiefs of the various services. McNamara began to challenge that but Kennedy maintained control until his assignation.
In the vacuum that existed after Kennedy's death McNamara accelerated his efforts to distance the service chiefs from the President. Johnson also used McNamara to blunt the chief's communication channel to the President to suit both Johnson's and McNamara's political agenda.
McMaster documents the tragedy as it unfolds, McNamara's manipulation , often on Johnsons' request . Along the way the careers of many of the military's most competent leaders were sacrificed in order to implement a sure to loose strategy in Vietnam. McNamara cut out the military leaders time and again so that the President did not have to face a truth that he did not want to be responsible for knowing.
At the same time McNamara's whiz kids were trying to take control of military aircraft designs. Their fixation on his pet TFX as a joint service fighter was only stopped when one Admiral sacrificed his career to protect the nation. Facing a Senate committee hearing on the project Admiral Tom Connally was asked about the project and responded , " Senator there's not enough power in all of Christdom to operate that aircraft off a carrier. " In a rare victory, McNamara's politicization of the military acquisition process was challenged and the F-14 was born. It became the Tomcat in honor of the admiral who sacrificed his career for the truth and ruled the skies until grounded by Clinton.
McMaster's account reflects painstaking research and lets the facts tell the story with very little interpretation - a great and important read.
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- 11-11-19
A sobering but important story
H.R McMaster provides a critical lesson for anyone interested in military planning, public policy, or the survival of representative democracy. It's the story of how key well meaning individuals neglected their true responsibilities in deference to consensus and institutional loyalty. Well worth the time and definitely enhanced by the author's narration.
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