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The talk, titled “Craig McNamara and his journey to seek the truth about the war”, was co-organized by Vietnam Television’s Foreign Affairs Department and the Vietnam Military History Museum.

Craig McNamara during a discussion about his father and the American war in Vietnam on March 6 in Hanoi. (Photo: VTV)

McNamara is the central figure in the upcoming documentary "Cuoc do suc cua y chi" (Clash of Wills), set to air on VTV1 around April 30 to mark the 50th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day.

He is also the author of “Because Our Fathers Lied: A Memoir of Truth and Family, from Vietnam to Today”, which has been acquired by Tre Publishing House and will soon be released in Vietnam.

A son’s journey to uncover the truth

Through the release of his book and participation in the documentary, Craig McNamara recounts his experience witnessing his father’s role in planning and executing the war strategy half a century ago. His journey takes him through archives, interviews with war witnesses, and visits to sites in Vietnam marked by his father’s legacy. His aim is to uncover the elusive “X factor” - the unknown element within the Vietnamese military and people that Robert McNamara failed to account for in his war calculations, leading to a bitter outcome.

The discussion also delves into the deep divisions within the US during the war and the personal turmoil within the McNamara family. Craig McNamara candidly shares how he transformed into a strong anti-war activist, opposing the conflict that his father had helped to shape and manage.

At the discussion. (Photo: People's Army Newspaper)

Appearing at the event with two lapel pins, one of the US flag and the other of the Vietnamese flag, Craig McNamara warmly engaged with all questions about his father, Robert McNamara.

“For me, during his eight years as Secretary of Defense, my father’s decisions were irreversible. They were also irreparable, such as the order to spray more than 13 million liters of Agent Orange over Vietnam,” McNamara said at the event.

“I believe he bore responsibility for the consequences his decisions inflicted upon the Vietnamese people. My father and I always had differences in our perspectives, and this memoir has helped me find a sense of reconciliation between us.”

Earlier that morning, McNamara had been in Pleiku, filming for the documentary. He and the VTV production team had traveled across Vietnam, visiting historic sites such as Khe Sanh, Truong Son Martyrs’ Cemetery, Ta Con Airport, and Hien Luong Bridge in Quang Tri. He also visited Son My in Quang Ngai, the site of the My Lai Massacre, and Xuan Thieu Beach in Da Nang. He traveled to My Tho and Tien Giang provinces to revisit the site of the Battle of Ap Bac.

During his journey, McNamara had the opportunity to meet and talk with Vietnamese war veterans. “From an American perspective, I have seen so many young Americans sent to Vietnam, some willingly, others unwillingly, only to perish here. I have also witnessed the pain of American soldiers returning home, many of whom were not welcomed back. Is that a tragedy? I believe it is. On the Vietnamese side, you lost millions of lives in a war initiated by the US. That is an immeasurable loss,” he said.

McNamara recounted meeting two Vietnamese veterans who had fought in Kon Tum, where they had seen hundreds of their comrades fall. Sixty years later, their tears still flowed as they returned to the battlefield.

While visiting Truong Son Martyrs’ Cemetery, McNamara lit incense at hundreds of graves and stopped before the tombstone of a soldier who had died in 1950.

At this point in his speech, he paused and broke down in tears. “Because the day he died was the day I was born,” he said.

McNamara shared that he intends to dedicate the rest of his life to efforts aimed at addressing the aftermath of the war in Vietnam.

Seeking a sense of redemption

Through his book and documentary, Craig McNamara retraces his journey of witnessing his father’s involvement in the strategic planning and execution of the war.

Craig McNamara introduces his book. (Photo: People's Army Newspaper)

He explained that in choosing the title “Because Our Fathers Lied”, the word “fathers” was deliberately pluralized to refer not only to his own father but also to the many leaders of that era who “lied to their children about the true meaning of the war.”

During his father’s lifetime, Craig repeatedly asked him about his views on the American war in Vietnam. His father remained silent.

“There was a silent war within our family. It was like an invisible wall that neither of us could cross,” he reflected. “If my father were alive today, one of his greatest regrets might be that he never told me the truth.”

When he began writing the book, Craig McNamara believed it would offer him a form of redemption, a way to learn from past mistakes and contribute to a future of peace.

“I envisioned that this book might help me close a chapter, or perhaps even heal old wounds. In an earlier draft of the preface, I wrote about my desire for forgiveness, for myself and for my father,” he confided.

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