Vietnam War did indeed turn into a quagmire. Students of history will gain much from a close reading of this 1965 prophetic letter from the Secretary of Defense, Clark Clifford to President Lyndon B. Johnson, advising the president to limit the ground war in Vietnam.

Concepts

lyndon b. johnson, the vietnam war

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Ask groups to compare Clifford's views with those of Secretary of State Dean Rusk
• Ask groups to compare the American involvement in Vietnam with the Middle East
• Use the document at the beginning of a study of American involvement in Vietnam and have class members chart troop buildups as the war continued

Pros

• The 1965 letter reveals Clifford's views at the beginning of the Vietnam conflict
• The provided reading questions are designed to encourage a close and careful reading of the letter

Cons

• The questions and the suggested activity provide little insight into the importance of Clifford's advice and the consequences of subsequence policy