Fog of War.

LESSONS
Empathize with your enemy
Rationality will not save us
There's something beyond one's self
Maximize efficiency
Proportionality Li f e seems t o speed u p as we get ol der
becau se l i f e get s l ess memorabl e as we get ol der. I f t o remember i s t o be
h u man , t h en rememberi n g more mean s bei n g more h u man should be a guideline in war
Get the data
STUDY QUESTIONS
At the beginning of the film, McNamara lays out his purpose (or theme). How would you describe it?
Any military member who is honest will admit that he has made mistakes before. DONT MAKE THE
SAME MISTAKE TWICE.
What was McNamaras reputation as Secretary of Defense? He illustrates his first lesson, Empathize
with your enemy, with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Be sure youve read about it in Axelrod.
Very controversial, arrogant dictator, con man, egoistical,
Describe how empathizing with ones enemy defused the crisis.
Thompson put himself in khrushchevs skin and knew that he would want to be able to say I saved cuba
On your own, look up Nikita Khrushchev.
On your own, look up the Bay of Pigs.
What did McNamara learn in the meeting with Castro in 1992? And how did he conclude that rationality
will not save us?
That there were nuclear bombs in Cuba at the time of the missle crisis.
On your own, look up Curtis Lemay. What did he want to do to Cuba? Why?
Heres one of the best quotes from the film. Probably most of you dont care, but there may be two or
three of you who will take this seriously, and want to remember it: I think the human race needs to think
more about killing, about conflict. Is that what we want in this 21st Century?

 On your own, look up Woodrow Wilson, and the phrases a war to end all wars, and the world must be
made safe for democracy. Are there any parallels to either of these phrases in recent history?
How did McNamara first learn that theres something beyond ones self? Other than religious faith, is
there anything beyond YOUR self?
During his philosophy class in college.

How were candidates for Harvards Air Force Statistical Control program selected? Later in the film, one
of the lessons is Get the Data.How does Harvards program (as well as the analysis of bombing attacks
on Germany) illustrate McNamaras interest in getting the data?
Ran punch cards through a sorter, to sort through grades, judgement, age. Searched for the best brains,
judgement, etc.
How did McNamara and his colleagues learn about maximizing efficiency in their strategies to bomb
Japan? Are there any ethical issues that could complicate maximizing efficiency?
B-29 bombers, they were flying them to china to store fuel there, so that they could bomb Japan. Brought
B 29s down to 5000 feet and fire bombed them.
More planes were shot down as a cause of it.
The question would be if losing one wingman is worth saving lives in the future?
Is killing 100k innocent citizens in one night worth avoiding a war?
Do you think that McNamara believed that the use of the atom bomb on Japan was proportional? Why or
why not?
No, the last thing McNamara wanted was to kill more people. He wanted to maximize his efficiency
though. Is it ethical to bomb and destroy a complete nation of innocent foreign nations, to protect
American lives.
How did McNamara apply the lesson of getting the data to his work at Ford Motor Company?
Found out who was buying VWs. Targeted the economical demographic. Researched accidents, changed
the packaging Seat belts, padded steering wheels.

 How did McNamara come to be appointed Secretary of Defense? BTW: Heres a fun little trivia question,
if youre up to it. McNamara was approached by President Kennedys brother-in-law. What does he have
to do with Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Presidents brother called him to be Executive secretary, he declined so he invited him to be secretary of
defense.
What did McNamara propose to Kennedy as a long-range goal for Vietnam?
Remove all soldiers in 2 years.
After Kennedy was assassinated, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, became president. What was
Johnsons opinion of the Vietnam strategy of McNamara and Kennedy? What was Johnsons goal in
Vietnam?
That they shouldnt pull out. To keep fighting until we won/
How does McNamara illustrate that belief and seeing are often both wrong? What was the tragic result
of this illustration?
Because they thought the Vietnamese launched torpedos at them, they bombed north Vietnam. And killed
people for no reason.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Errol Morris (the interviewer and film-maker) said to McNamara, We see what we want to believe. Is
that true? Do you see what you want to believe?
I try not to. I try to see both viewpoints.
What was Rolling Thunder?
In terms of empathizing with ones enemy, what was the difference between the Cuban Missile Crisis
and Vietnam? Does this have any relevance in our recent wars?
They didnt bother to think about what the Vietnamese wanted, or thought about the americans being
there. Maybe sometimes we dont think about Iraq, were just mad about what happened with terroristic
attacks. We saw it as the cold war, they saw it as the civil war.
What, in McNamaras view, was wrong with former Vietnamese Foreign Minister Thachs argument
about the war? What was Thachs response?
That they didnt care about Vietnamese lives. We were fighting for our freedom! And we wouldve fought
till the last man.

 How did McNamara re-examine his own reasoning?

He realized he was fighting for America and not the worlds best interest.
Are you prepared to re-examine yours? Or are you right all the time? (If so, this is probably the wrong
class for you.)
Pride is the downfall. Everyone searches for his own.
What was Agent Orange?
Chemical that burns everything. Super toxic
Who was Norman Morrison? Was his action good or evil? Was it necessary?
Quaker, opposed to war. Burned himself to the ground. Good. It touched their hearts.
What does never say never mean?
That anything is possible.
How did McNamara depart from the Defense Department? What was his appraisal of President
Johnson?
He was fired. He loved the president but he knew he was wrong.
What does the expression the fog of war mean? Can you think of any other issues today that could be
described as a fog?
Is so complex that its impossible to think of all the variables. Us and the terrorists.
What does the quotation from T.S. Elliot (look him up, please) have to do with McNamaras purpose
in The Fog of War?
He continued exploring and exercising all the options, only to end up where he was originally.
Why did McNamara say that hed rather be damned if I dont?