In this definitive portrait, prize-winning military historian Lewis Sorley convincingly argues how General Westmoreland was responsible for losing the Vietnam War.

Is it possible that the riddle of America's military failure in Vietnam has a one-word, one-man answer?

Until we understand Gen. William Westmoreland, we will never know what went wrong in the Vietnam War. An Eagle Scout at fifteen, First Captain of his West Point class, Westmoreland fought in two wars and became Superintendent at West Point. Then he was chosen to lead the war effort in Vietnam for four crucial years.

He proved a disaster. Unable to think creatively about unconventional warfare, Westmoreland chose an unavailing strategy, stuck to it in the face of all opposition, and stood accused of fudging the results when it mattered most.

An authoritative study offering tragic lessons crucial for the future of American leadership, Westmoreland is essential reading.

"A terrific book, lively and brisk . . . a must read for anyone who tries to understand the Vietnam War." --Thomas E. Ricks

"Eye-opening and sometimes maddening, Sorley's Westmoreland is not to be missed." --John Prados, author of Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975