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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
An 8 page research paper that analyzes the remarks of Robert McNamara from an ethical perspective. The writer argues that the explanation for how leadership can go "terribly wrong" may be located not in errors in military tactics but rather in the ethical foundations that rationalize those tactics. This examination of leadership ethics draws on McNamara's observations in the documentary "The Fog of War," and discusses the morality of the Japanese firebombing during WWII, Vietnam and democratic imperialism. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Page Count:
8 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khrmcn.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
good."i Robert McNamara cited this quote in his extensive conversations with filmmaker Errol Morris, which he chronicled in his award-winning documentary "The Fog of War." The film addresses the most
singular fact of twentieth century history, which is that within the course of just 100 years 160 million human beings were killed by other human beings within the context of
war.ii In exploring his thoughts and reflections on this topic, McNamara recounts his experiences during World War II through the development of the Cold War and his thoughts on Cuba
and Vietnam. As indicated in his autobiography, In Retrospect, McNamara believes that the present should learn from the lessons of the past. He states that: We of the
Kennedy and Johnson administration who participated in the decisions on Vietnam acted according to what we thought were the principles and traditions of the nation. We made our decisions in
light of those values. Yet we were wrong, terribly wrong.iii (McNamara xx). The explanation for how leadership can go "terribly wrong" may be located not in errors in
military tactics but rather in the ethical foundations that rationalize those tactics. The following examination of leadership ethics draws on McNamaras observations in "The Fog of War." In this
film, McNamara discusses several of the primary lessons to be learned from wartime experience, which are covered in detail in his autobiography.iv The fourth of these lessons is to that
"Proportionality Should be a Guideline to War" and this chapter focuses on McNamaras World War II experience as an aide to General Curtis LeMay who ordered the firebombing of Japanese
civilians.v The logistics of this campaign bring up a plethora of troublesome ethical considerations, such as "What makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win."vi
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