I was in Marine Boot Camp in 1977.
Ya, I know, but I joined to show a cousin that I was proud of his service, in Vietnam, as well as to see if I could cut it.
Even though Drill Instructors are supposed to avoid politics, the name McNamara came up, and I swear I thought Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sargent Ward would explode, his face got so red and he was so angry.
“Body Count” was a McNamara idea.
It was stupid, of course. Yes, people have to die, in any war, but you WIN wars by taking GROUND, and by making it impossible for your enemy to fight back.
Getting into a population war, with Asian countries, was a very stupid idea.
So much for the Ivy League brains who think they are so damn smart!
Not just the body count.
He also micromanaged the Air War in his “Harvahd” way. Charts and graphs about bomb tonnage, sorties etc.
NO bombing NV airfields and taking out their air force on the ground. Refused to let the commanders use their initiative in destroying the enemy. Idiot.