Thursday, April 29, 1999
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Funger Hall (2201 G. St, NW), Room 108
Followed by a book signing (books will be on sale).
For more information, call 994-7000
Co-sponsored by the Elliot School and the National Security Archive
'Argument without End' attempts to understand the origins of the Vietnam
War and the failure of both the United States and North Vietnam to end the
conflict earlier. The book culminates a four-year project at Brown
University's Watson Institute and presents for the first time the North
Vietnamese side of events, especially the ways in which the two countries
misinterpreted each other's intentions.
The authors explore the crucial mistakes that led to the
prolonging of the war, and the reasons why the war could not have been won
militarily by the United States without escalation beyond the region.
This event brings the authors together publicly to discuss the
findings of the project and to offer lessons learned with practical
applications to contemporary global conflict.
CO-AUTHORS
Robert S. McNamara is the former secretary of defense to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and former president of the Ford Motor Company and the World Bank. He is the author of 'In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam'.
James G. Blight is professor of international relations (research) at Brown University's Watson Institute and director of the Institute's Vietnam War Project. He is the author/editor of ten books on the recent history of U.S. foreign policy.
Robert K. Brigham is an associate professor of history and director of the Program in International Relations at Vassar College. He is the author of 'Guerrilla Diplomacy: The NLF's Foreign Relations and the Vietnam War'.
CONTRIBUTORS
Thomas J. Biersteker is the director of the Watson institute and Henry R. Luce Professor at Brown University.
Col. Herbert Y. Schandler (Ret.) is a professor in the Department of Grand Strategy at National Defense University, Washington, D.C. He was an infantry commander in Vietnam.
MODERATOR
Thomas S. Blanton is the executive director of the National Security Archive, a non-governmental center located at The George Washington University.