dereliction of duty

The Vietnam War was not lost on the battlefield, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or on university campuses. It was lost in Washington D.C. H. R. McMaster (from the conclusion) "Der Pflichtversäumnis" is an impressive analysis of how and why the United States became embroiled in a comprehensive and catastrophic war in Southeast Asia. Thoroughly and convincingly researched, based on transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations, and decisions, it is the only book that fully reconstructs what happened and why. McMaster identifies the policies and decisions that led the United States into the quagmire, revealing who made these decisions and the motives behind them, thereby debunking the published theories of other historians and the excuses of those involved. A gripping narrative, "Der Pflichtversäumnis" focuses on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy, and other high-ranking officials who deliberately misled the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Congress, and the American public. McMaster's book "Der Pflichtversäumnis" is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversies surrounding U.S. involvement in Vietnam.