Highly recommended watching for anyone with the remotest
interest in 20th century history, politics, foreign affairs etc etc.
In this documentary, former US Secretary of Defense (sic) Robert McNamara gives
an illuminating and highly emotive glimpse into some of the most intense
instances of the Cold War: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam conflict.
McNamara was one of the most influential men in the White House during both
crises: His recollections give a fascinating account of the mentality of the US
government elite as they succeeded in empathising with their Russia counterparts
to prevent nuclear war, but were guilty of severe misperception and
misunderstanding of the situation in Vietnam. The title is a battlefield
reference to such confusion, when there are so many variables that it is
impossible for a rational human being to take account of all of them.
The film expertly positions the crises within the Cold War
context and traces their origins to the closing of the Second World War. This is
both a very accessible and fascinating film that everyone (including myself)
will benefit from watching!
