A Turn for the Worse in Vietnam

“We have been patient for five years with those who offered a military solution in Vietnam,” said Senator McGovern. “Now let us be equally patient in the effort to find a peaceful solution.” But the official “patience” of the U.S. went no further than 37 days. After that, the U.S. resumed bombing of North Vietnam—despite the acknowledged fact that such bombing has little military value; despite the certainty that it could only call into question the sincerity of LBJ’s “peace offensive”; despite the likelihood that large sections of world opinion would again turn against the U.S.; and despite the revelation that the U.S. military build-up during those 37 days exceeded that of the oth...