The documentary The Fog of War is based on the life of former Secretary of Defense for the United States, Robert S. McNamara.
Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy.
Lesson #2: Rationality alone will not save us.
Lesson #3: There’s something beyond one’s self.
Lesson #4: Maximize efficiency.
Lesson #5: Proportionality should be a guideline in war.
Lesson #6: Get the Data.
Lesson #7: Belief and seeing are both often wrong.
Lesson #8: Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning.
Lesson #9: In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil.
Lesson #10: Never say never.
Lesson #11: You can’t change human nature.
1. What was the most striking element of the film? Why do you remember that part particularly?
In my opinion the most striking element or part to this film was when McNamara was explaining how much damage was being done to japan and then compared the cities to those equal in size to U.S states. For example the Japanese city of Tokyo, roughly the size of New York at that time, was 51% destroyed; Toyama, the size of Chattanooga, was 99% destroyed; Nagoya, the size of Los Angeles, was 40% destroyed; Osaka, the size of Chicago, was 35% destroyed, all of which was done before dropping the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2. Which of the eleven lessons were most interesting and important to you? With which do you disagree? Which do you think will have the most impact on the 21st century? Why?
The most interesting lessen taught by McNamara was Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy. It states that in order for war to be stopped before it begins, you must think about what your enemy is trying to achieve, and whether or not full nuclear war can be avoided if both sides are willing to compromise. I would have to disagree with Lesson # 7, because seeing is believing to me. If something is not seen than where is the reason to believe it from someone else’s point of view.
3. What did you learn about the time periods discussed in the film? What did they learn about Robert McNamara? What impression do you have of him now that you have seen the Film? What impression do you have of World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, and the Vietnam War now that you have seen the film?
Before I had watched this documentary I had little knowledge of Robert McNamara and his role in the American government. After watching this, I gained a new perspective on the years after WW1. I had known that the world had come very close to nuclear war, but I had not previously seen just how close we really came during the Cuban Missile Crisis. McNamara was one of the few people who had power to push “the big red button” and create full nuclear war on the world. If McNamara had not have convinced the President that launching nuclear missiles was a bad idea than the world would be a very different place today.
Sources:
http://handofreason.com/2011/media/the-fog-of-war-eleven-lessons-from-the-life-of-robert-s-mcnamara
Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy.
Lesson #2: Rationality alone will not save us.
Lesson #3: There’s something beyond one’s self.
Lesson #4: Maximize efficiency.
Lesson #5: Proportionality should be a guideline in war.
Lesson #6: Get the Data.
Lesson #7: Belief and seeing are both often wrong.
Lesson #8: Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning.
Lesson #9: In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil.
Lesson #10: Never say never.
Lesson #11: You can’t change human nature.
1. What was the most striking element of the film? Why do you remember that part particularly?
In my opinion the most striking element or part to this film was when McNamara was explaining how much damage was being done to japan and then compared the cities to those equal in size to U.S states. For example the Japanese city of Tokyo, roughly the size of New York at that time, was 51% destroyed; Toyama, the size of Chattanooga, was 99% destroyed; Nagoya, the size of Los Angeles, was 40% destroyed; Osaka, the size of Chicago, was 35% destroyed, all of which was done before dropping the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2. Which of the eleven lessons were most interesting and important to you? With which do you disagree? Which do you think will have the most impact on the 21st century? Why?
The most interesting lessen taught by McNamara was Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy. It states that in order for war to be stopped before it begins, you must think about what your enemy is trying to achieve, and whether or not full nuclear war can be avoided if both sides are willing to compromise. I would have to disagree with Lesson # 7, because seeing is believing to me. If something is not seen than where is the reason to believe it from someone else’s point of view.
3. What did you learn about the time periods discussed in the film? What did they learn about Robert McNamara? What impression do you have of him now that you have seen the Film? What impression do you have of World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, and the Vietnam War now that you have seen the film?
Before I had watched this documentary I had little knowledge of Robert McNamara and his role in the American government. After watching this, I gained a new perspective on the years after WW1. I had known that the world had come very close to nuclear war, but I had not previously seen just how close we really came during the Cuban Missile Crisis. McNamara was one of the few people who had power to push “the big red button” and create full nuclear war on the world. If McNamara had not have convinced the President that launching nuclear missiles was a bad idea than the world would be a very different place today.
Sources:
http://handofreason.com/2011/media/the-fog-of-war-eleven-lessons-from-the-life-of-robert-s-mcnamara
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