Home > Vietnam War > Robert S. McNamara Biography

Born June 9, 1916
San Francisco, California

U.S. secretary of defense, 1961–1968

Robert McNamara is one of the most controversial figures of the entire Vietnam War. As U.S. secretary of defense during both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, he played a major part in shaping U.S. policy toward Vietnam. In fact, some people referred to the conflict in Vietnam as "McNamara's War" because of his role as primary architect and manager of the American war effort. As the war dragged on, McNamara lost confidence in an eventual U.S. victory and became tormented by doubts about the conflict. But he did not share these concerns with the American public. Instead, he publicly defended U.S. actions in Vietnam for another two years before leaving the government in early 1968.

Special advisor to U.S. military

Robert...