Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

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This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to Conversations on International Affairs. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our guest today is Robert McNamara, who is a Regents Lecturer at the University of California this semester. Mr. McNamara is a 1937 graduate of the University; he served as president of the Ford Motor Company, as Secretary of Defense during the Kennedy administration, and as president of the World Bank. His most recent book is In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam, which has just been issued as a paperback with a new appendix which include reviews of the book, both favorable and unfavorable.

1. Days at Berkeley ... education ... the Great Depression ... lessons imparted
2. A "Wild Hare" at Ford ... a Democrat among Republicans ... choosing business over academia ... the fight for auto safety and fuel efficiency
3. Action versus Contemplation ... reconciling a soft heart and a hard head ... thinking about responsibility to society
4. The Denigration of Liberalism and Public Service ... defense of liberalism ... reasons for the decline of liberal values
5. Thoughts on Management ... leadership tasks ... an objective
6. Liberal Goals and Foreign Policy Mistakes ... the Kennedy and Johnson domestic agenda: civil rights & Great Society ... foreign policy goals ... real threats vs. misperceptions ... understanding an adversary
7. The Responsibility of a Public Servant ... the Vietnam conundrum ... constraints on Johnson's decisions: nuclear war & political liability... McNamara's dilemma ... participation in public debate
8. Conclusion: Lessons of a Life in Public Service ... the importance of public debate

Archival photos at this interview are courtesy of Robert McNamara.

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