Johnson Harold K Comp (1 results)
Published by The Supreme Council, Washington, DC, 1984
- Hardcover
Seller: Ground Zero Books, Ltd., Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.Ground Zero Books, Ltd.
Contact seller5-star sellerHardcover. Condition: good. Revised Edition. Sixth Printing. 136 pages, illus., former owner's name and Masonic stamp inside front board. Harold Keith "Johnny" Johnson (February 22, 1912 - September 24, 1983) was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1964 to 1968. Regarded as a premier tactician, Johnson became skeptical… that the level of resources given to the Vietnam War, much of which went into 'find, fix, and destroy the big main force units' operations, could deliver victory. Johnson came to believe that the Communist forces held a trump card, because they controlled whether there were engagements with US forces, giving an option to simply avoid battle with US forces if the situation warranted it. As Johnson saw it, the main force and NVA units would always keep their casualties below what they considered a prohibitive level, and could not be swept away by US firepower. He did, however, acknowledge that Commander William Westmoreland had little choice but to engage the enemy's main formations, which had to be prevented from securing base areas where they could concentrate. Johnson was instrumental in altering the focus to a counterinsurgency approach, but was frustrated at the US government refusal to provide the manpower necessary for successful pacification. In his later years Johnson said it had been obvious that US national mobilization was required to win in Vietnam, and he regretted not resigning in protest at the government asking the army to fight a war without hope of ultimate victory. The compiler was a retired General, U.S. Army, and was the organization's Director of Education and Americanism. Contents include "Communism--Enemy of all Freedoms" by Robert B. Watts (pp. 42-71); "Why Public Schools" by Willard Givens and Belmont Farley (pp. 73-92); and "Free Enterprise--An American Invention" by Harold Fleming (pp. 93-136). Johnson retired from active duty in July 1968. For three years later, General Johnson headed the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.