The Fog Of War  (2003)

Amazingly for a politician, and an american at that, MacNamarra talks candidly and authoritivly about his time in power. By coming up with a number of 'lessons' the documentary makers provide a fluency and sense of progreassion that is often missing in serious documentaries and will keep you engaged throughout.

The honesty portrayed here is thought provoking, and many of the lessons seem rather apt in the current climate, especially when MacNamarra states that the most important factor in avoiding the cuban missle crisis was that they understood their enemy - something we cant really say about the war on terror etc.

There are some great revelations and also some sincere admisions of guilt, especially over the fire bombing of japan. As with any political monologue, there is a sense of self justification, and to british audiences the refusal to admit much of the brutality in vietnam may grate, but that would be to misunderstand the depth to which that conflict still affects the americans nationqal psyche, especially within the military-political circles.

Overall this film provides great insights and will keep you interesetd throughut, as well as for some time afterwards. A must see. especially if you called george...

This is a fascinating documentary/interview with former US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara, covering his time both before Vietnam and during that infamous conflict. He is refreshingly frank about the mistakes and misunderstandings surrounding that war and the brutal pragmatism that surrounds war generally. His comments are especially valid in this day and age with the situation in Iraq and the bloody-minded lack of empathy of our leaders towards peoples they care not to understand. This is documentary making at it's finest and an absolute must see.

Errol Brown's fascintating documentry based around a series of interviews conducted with the 85 year old Robert Mcnamara who(amongst other things) was US Defence Secretary under both Kennedy and Johnstone and is held responsible by many for the tragedy of the Vietnam War.
It is constructed around 11 lessons that he feels he has learned throughout his life and although some are banal it does provide a focus for the discussion.
Mcnamara ranges rrom childhood memories of the aftermath of the Great War through his involvment with the American bombing of Japan in WWII - it was his statistical analasys of the bombing that led to the vast increase in the 'success' - if you can call burning 100,000 people to death in a single night a success - he admits that what he and General Curtis LeMay were doing was a war crime and,had they lost,would have been arraigned as criminals and muses on the fact that victory doesn't make decsions any less morally reprehensible.

He was breifly President of Ford before being persuaded by JFK to become his defence secrtary - he take on the Cuban missile crisis is one of the films most engrossing sequences and he admits that the world was far closer to nuclear meltdown that many historians have concluded and it was a single decision of JFK's that turned the world away from disaster - LeMay(who was the basis for the mad General in Dr Strangelove and is now viewed as a lethally dangerous maniac) was all for bombing the hell out of Cuba which would have meant no-one would be reading this.
After JKF's assisination(he still visibily moved by the memory) he worked for LBJ and its the Vietnam sequence of the film that makes for compelling viewing - he still asserts that JFK would have pulled out by 1965 and avoided the disaster but circumstances and LBJ more beligerent take meant that by then 50,000 troops were in the field - this caused a fundamental break between the two men and Mcnamara resigned in early 1968 which may have been a factor in LBJ not seeking re-election later that same year.

Its interesting that Mcnamara will admit culpability for the Japanese bombing but he is a lot more elusive on guilt for Vietnam - he constantly avoids confronting wether there is an element of personal responability for all those deaths.
Although it is mainly Macnama talking Brown uses lots of archive footage and taped conversations to expand the points under discussion and uses a technique that means that although he is being interviwed he talks directly to camera i.e. directly to us.
Overall a picture of a flawed man who now has the time to reflect on decisions that affected the entire world and although clearly wishes that things had gone differently can't quite bring himself to face just how much his choices contributed to so much human misey.
He does finish off on an interesting point about how America may the most powerful nation on Earth but if they act unilaterally without bringing like minded nations on board it will end in disaster- something the current administration could well note.........
Well worth seeking this one out for anyone interested on how we came to be where we are today.....

This is an excellent documentary from Morris that lets McNamara just say what he thinks. And a guy like him is really worth listening to. He was military intelligence in WW2 presiding over the bombing of Japan, headed up Ford, Secretary of Defense helping Kennedy not go to war over Cuba and trying to pull out of Vietnam, and President of World Bank. The man really knows what he's talking about. He's stunningly intelligent, rational, logical and blessed with a level of self-perception that the people he found himself working for and with lacked. Unlike many other fine docs recently such as Michael Moore's movies and 'Super Size Me' this is a movie that is never going to date. Essential viewing if you have any interest at all in the 20th century, what really goes through the minds of the powers-that-be, or the current global political situation.

Pretty much most of the conspiracy stories you've heard about the Cuban missile crisis and Vietnam confirmed by a man who helped make the decisions.

McNamarra's brutally honest, and while I find his politics questionable to say the least, I was left with the impression that he had at least been trying to do what he thought was right the whole time - which in a way is more worrying.

Couldn't help but admire the man for holding his own wartime actions up to light and saying that if he had been on the losing side in the Second World War, he would probably been tried as a war criminal.

Genuinely needs to be seen to be believed.

As an American who grew up in the tail end of the Vietnam war, I knew the name Robert McNamara, I sort of knew he was a figure of hate amongst lefty types but that's about it. This documentary shows his life story through 'can-do' yank WWII optimism, post-WWII Ford Motor Company management (not as boring as it sounds!), drafting into public service by JFK, and the painful downward spiral of Vietnam. The lessons as applicable to Iraq are painfully obvious. He seems an extremely intelligent and well-intentioned, even idealistic civil servant hard done by history. Watching this doc is like spending 2 hours listening to the smartest, most interesting uncle you ever wished you had. I watched all of the 'extras' just to hear him speak more.

Anyone interested in the politics of sixties America will be glued to their T.V. screen for the length of this film. Robert McNamara was instrumental in the formation and implementation of America’s policy firstly during John F Kennedy’s fledgling administration and after his assassination. He was also present and privy to confidential information during the Cuban missile crisis.

The film makes use of taped conversations between the president and his closest advisors, bringing an air of authenticity to the narrative. McNamara draws parallels between the crises of the past and those of today, with warnings about the future in his ‘eleven lessons’.

This is a remarkable film and deserves the widest possible audience.

I came to this ignorant of who Robert McNamara was and the central role he played in global events, under both Kennedy and LBJ.

Thankfully, enough contextualising material is included to bring you up to speed and you can then get on with watching McNamara being asked about some of the most contentious issues he was involved with: The Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, the deployment of a vast military arsenal against millions of civilians, Agent Orange et al.

He is refreshingly honest about both his failings and the human cost of his sucesses.

A powerful, adult documentary that makes 'Fahrenheit 9/11' look like the crude sloganeering it always was.

“The Fog Of War” is a fascinating insight into one of America’s biggest ‘war criminals.’ Robert S. Mcnamara was the secretary of defence during the infamous Vietnam war and, by his own admission in this frank depiction of the time, made some grand mistakes and errors of judgment. Rather than try and pacify these errors, McNamara explains how we can learn from his and Americas errors at the time. Many labelled McNamara arrogant at the time, a view highlighted in the movie however, this discussion also shows his regret and humanity, at times the memories bringing him close to tears.

A fantastic look into the mind of a man under immense pressure during the time, McNamara goes someway to quietening the critics of his at the time of the war with his explanation of decisions made and the lessons that can be learnt from them.

A brilliant picture that leaves the viewer engaged and thoughtful about the way in which governments make their decisions during a time of war and the mistakes that can easily be made by what are after all, “human beings.”
A movie for anyone with an interest in politics, psychology, the Vietnam War or America in general. Certainly a movie some certain political leaders now could do with watching.

An amazing insight into the work of one of the most pre-eminent US civil servants of the last century.

You may not agree with everything he says or did - but you cannot doubt that Mr Macnamara has led a fascinating life and had influence upon many of the key events that defined the 20th century.

This is a fascinating look into the world of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. McNamara is interesting throughout, not a single line he says is without point.

The only small grumble I have is that there could have been a little more background explaination to the events. Everyone knows the basics of the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam, but a bit of factual information about the history would have been useful.

But certainly worth a watch.

What i liked about this film was that it was unbiased. The questions got asked and Robert S. McNamara answered them. The only questions he didn't answer were in the epilogue. But my point is this, you hear his side of the story and then you decide for yourself whether he answered honestly and whether he was a good Secretary of Defence or not. All you Michael Moore lovers should watch this documentary, not because it's about America's war history in the 20th centurary, but because it is a documentory about listening and allowing someone to defend themselves. I don't hate Michael Moore and i like some of his work, but his documentaries could be so much better if he didn't have a biased view and so should take note of the way the film makers made this film. Anyways this is about the Fog of War and the film is about one man's experience of war. The film has recorded audio tapes of conversations between McNamara and the likes of Kennedy, loads of good archive footage and another brillaint score by Philip Glass.

How close did we actually come to all-out nuclear war over the Cuban missile crisis? How do such matters get handled at the top level of political life? Robert MacNamara's life, shown through old footage and current interview materials, sheds light on the man's amazing powers, and changes our perception of him until we can't help but love him.

What an amazing life. An extraordinary man narrates his life experiences to camera interspersed with film footage. He was the first president of the Ford Corporation from outside the Ford family and JFK's right hand man. A self made man from humble beginnings - truly inspiring and wonderfully told. Very moving.

Even if you are not familiar with this incredible man who was the US Secretary of Defense during the Korean and Vietnam war you will be intrigued by his story.

Seeing the understanding and sensitivity that he has gained looking back on those difficult years makes you nearly sympathise with the man that was once considered one of the most dangerous men in America. The problems in Korea/ Vietnam then, eerily mirror the current US induced conflict in the Middle East.

He shows the important lessons to be gained by the stuggles during war and the key which lies in understanding your enemy. His lessons are important ones...I wish the current White House would take heed of them.

Whilst many of McNamara's policies and much of his politics were controversial and in hindsight devastating, one can't help but admire his honesty. His integrity, both when he was in power and looking back on his life, is refreshing. The film's structure, as a series of lessons learnt by a man who, for a period of several years, carried the world quite literally on his shoulders, serves to preserve McNamara's humanity, ensuring the film is not simply shocking, but also extremely moving.

In a political climate of fear and terror, not dissimilar to that experienced during the Cuban missile crisis, the film's resonance is breathtaking.

Superb documentary, interspersing footage of almost a century of global conflict with a fascinating, reflective interview with the remarkably lucid and thoughtful 85 year old Robert McNamara, US Secretary of State of State for Defence during the febrile 1960s period which included the Cuban Missile Crisis and the War in Vietnam.

The 'eleven lessons' are actually a series of extracted quotations from the interview which are intended to highlight certain themes or ideas which emerge as worthy of attention from McNamara's life, served almost entirely in the military and international politics.

Perhaps the most profound lesson and the most relevant still today is the very first - "empathise with your enemy." In the film it is the introduction to the section of the interview in which McNamara narrates how the US and the USSR came within a 'hair's breadth' of annihilating each other (and the rest of the planet) with nuclear weapons during the standoff over Cuba in October 1962.

Many generals and advisers surrounding both Kruschev and Kennedy - including Castro - were actually advocating a nuclear attack. It was only the insight of one of Kennedy's acolytes, who had lived with Kruschev and knew him and his family, which saved the day.

He recognised that Kruschev was in over his head and was looking for a way out, but needed to back down in such a way as to present it to the Soviet people as a victory.

The Fog of War is a bit foggy, but it is a fairly good insight into a turbulent period of history.

JFK was a lowlife bum who brought us closer than any other democratic leader to nuclear destruction and stumbled into the quagmire of Vietnam. Robert McNamara was his catspaw on 'defence'. Watch a clever articulate walking disaster try to justify his public career. A lesson in selective recall and complimentary editing. Excellent stuff which must be watched in a cynical frame of mind.

this documentary could not be around at a time of greater poignancy, with the US elections and Iraq on the news agenda. you have the opportunity to watch a former us secretary of state for defense discuss his career, reflect on some of his key decisions, successes and failures.

at the age of 85 his recollection and insight remain unsullied. Only his account of the vietnam conflict is deliberately vague.

you are left wondering 'what if' on so many occassions. in relation to the cold war, the cuban missile crisis and in particular to how jfk's presence might have averted vietnam.

a must watch.

Intelligent and fascinating. Should be on the National Curriculum. Watch and watch again.

The film does an excellent job of bringing together insight with history. Every war college and diplomat corp should have this as part of their syllabus.

So we came dangerously close three times to nuclear war. We fire bombed and destroyed most of Japanese cities before dropping the nuclear bombs. These discussions where great to listen to and Macnamara puts it across really well. Personally I dont like to see close ups of him getting upset telling certain parts, because I know its rehearsed or edited or contrived to be left in the film etc I just thought the story was really good without having to feel sorry for Macnamara. Vietnam story came across different, not at all very clear but some insight of the difficulties at the time. Probably more left out than put in. Worth watching

I was a student in 1967 - and we got this man wrong. He got it wrong too, and has the courage to admit it, so we must join him in trying to make some sense of it all before it's too late. If you know anything about the war in Vietnam, watch this, there are lessons here. If you were too young YOU MUST WATCH THIS lest we do it all again - Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and wherever tomorrow. McNamara is now 85 and can see the truth, as this magnificent film shows. Just watch, learn, digest, and just hope we don't have to kill many more young men.

A moving and compelling insight into the lessons McNamara learnt during his distinguished seven year career as US Secretary of Defence during the height of the Cold War. McNamara's central message is that waging war in order to resolve disputes between nations is morally repugnant; he argues we should do everything in our power to avoid the catastrophic loss of life that plagued the Twentieth Century. McNamara comes across as an extraordinarily good hearted man who, now nearing the end of his life, has decided to share the valuable lessons he has learnt so that future generations may learn from his mistakes.

11 lessons are drawn from the life and work of Robert Macnamara, one time US secretary of defence. The interview is frank, honest and at times, moving. Expertly edited with real footage, this account of aspects of some of the major conflicts that the US has been involved in the 20th century will shock and repel, but the question remains: is Robert a good guy or a bad guy? Not an easy one to answer.

Thought provoking stuff - and the Philip Glass score is outstanding.

Robert McNamara has some great stories to tell. This is a rare glimpse into the life of a man who has been at the heart of, and actively controlling, many major world events. For him stuff like escalating troop involvement in Vietnam was his actual day job, while most of us just read about these things in the newspaper.

Puts a really human face on major world events without making excuses.

This is a great documentary and well worth seeing. I've lived through the era covered and it makes for fascinating viewing.

I have read quite a few books on the Vietnam war (including on cited during the film) and found this documentary quite unique in relation to providing a personal insight into the war. I found the directing annoying at times, as they made the interviews seem quite hostile to McNamara. I mean surely it's an opportunity to let the man to give his take on historic matters, and not for the interviewer to start berating him, or making the tone more hostile?! On the whole it is worth watching merely from a purist perspective, in that you get McNamara talking to you for a couple of hours about his first hand experiences of historic events. He tells a compelling story.

It seemed to be a film to justify his own actions, or lack of them. It was all the presidents fault, read my lips, it was all the presidents fault.

An excellent documentary about US involvement in the second world war, Cuba and Vietnam. A rare insight from a man at the centre of decision making. Really quite depressing, that we never really learn from our mistakes.

This is a captivating tale of American political history during the 1960's.

Clearly a man with no regrets.

Recommended.

Fascinating glimpse into the world of US foreign policy. Skillfully made documentary, excellent score. Lets the man hang himself

This film has got to be one of the finest I have ever seen. The interview with Robert McNamara is extremely interesting, he is incredibly clear and lucid - obviously we can learn alot from him and his experiences. This film is beautifully edited and insightful, everyone needs to see this film.

This is a story well told, a captivating insight in the involvment of america in the 2nd world war. Very frank and honest account very good documentry.

Only look at this if you have time to take-in more official versions of 20th century history by the 'new world order' people that created the events in the first place! He is a dark character who was rewarded with a job in the world bank after his furthering of the agenda whilst serving as defence secretary in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. For example, he is the man who helped escalate Vietnam and approved the use of the infamous 'agent orange'. At eighty-something, he still thinks he can teach you 11 lessons in foreign policy... THIS FILM IS NOT ENTRETAINMENT, IT IS RE-EDUCATION.

An emotional film - terrific insight into history - you've seen the films - now listen to a man who was at the centre of 20th centuary American history - brilliant editing and informal interview style.

Fascinating insight into the life and beliefs of the man who was strategically at the heart of Vietnam.

Errol Morris takes a potentially fascinating series of interviews with McNamara and turns them into a film that's poorly organized and difficult to follow. He uses McNamara's eleven lessons to provide a structure for the film, but the content in some of the sections seems to have little bearing upon that particular lesson. Morris also seems to have had difficulty figuring out which of his images (newsreel footage, photographs, visuals of newspaper clippings) to leave in and which to leave out, so the film keeps offrering montages of images that increase in speed, a technique that gets boring after awhile and seems to add up to less than the sum of its parts. Ditto with his oft-repeated use of layered video clips of the same location to show some people moving slowly through an environment while others speed by them. Nice to look at, but what does it have to do with McNamara? All in all, Morris's visuals and organization of his material let him down. He seems to be struggling to find things for the viewer to look at.

Even if your not an American, dont like them and dont appreciate them - this chap is an interesting man, not only because of his place inhistory, but alos because of his outlook on the decsions he and his team made during several wars. THIS IS GOOD!

If you want to add some flesh to the bones of 1960's history, WATCH THIS FILM. The subject matter if a one off. He was not only at the epicentre of world politics, he made a lot of it. That he has the courage to bare all in front of the camera is extraordinary. You will not agree with everything he says, but rarely will you meet someone this powerful making a human case for what he did. Watch it with an open mind, and you will be well rewarded. Enjoy.

A breathtaking insight into the realities of political power in 20th century. Stunning documentary film making. An extraordinary political document. If only the current leaders of the so-called 'free world' would learn the lessons so artfully portrayed in this excellent movie they would be less enthusiastic about unleashing the dogs of war around the globe. Big respect to McNamara for being prepared to face the camera in such an frank way. And to think, I used to demonstrate against him on the streets of London! Maybe older and wiser really can go together.

Riveting interview/ documentary. I did not know much about Robert MacNamara before seeing this, but I believe he was to the anti-war campaigners of his day what Donald Rumsfeld is to their counterparts today (however, if Mr Rumsfeld has as revisionist a story to tell in 30 years time I will be (a) amazed and (b) first in line to see it). It is clear that Robert MacNamara is interested in rewriting his part on the world stage. He is old and sometimes stumbles on his words, but has an engaging, llikeable manner with an obviously keen mind and holds your attention easily, which is good because this documentary is mostly him talking to camera, punctuated by images from the times he is re-visiting in his memory. He describes the massive loss(es) of life he was partly responsible for with candour, and some carefully chosen regret, but you get the feeling his regret has by now been rehearsed a little too much. There are genuine moments of sadness and contrition, however, but when it really matters MacNamara cannot bring himself to believe or admit his actions were monstrous. Just misguided, mistaken and - on one occasion - possible criminal. His insights into the Kennedy and LBJ administrations and the Cold War are worth the time alone, and he persuasively makes the case that he was all for getting out of Vietnam early on, but was instructed by his President to escalate and so he did so, out of a sense of duty to the office of the President. A study of a complex and interesting character, but one who is clever enough to reveal enough to keep you watching, enough to draw your sympathy and blur the lines, but not enough to really get under his skin.

This is the only dvd I own. It examines the conflicts of Cuba/Vietnam, and mass bombing tactics of the second world war amoung other subjects.

Made for an american audience but an fasinating interview in to what power can do. This documentary won best Documentary award.

This tells the story of war and how it really is from someone who has been on the inside of the decision making for decades. Valuable insights and startling admissions. Well worth your time.

I heard Robert Mcnamara speak earlier this year and he explained that the lessons stated in the film weren't the lessons he personally had prepared. (infact his ten lessons are featured as a bonus footage). This comes across in the film as the lessons are patched together from the narrative and so sometimes the lessons don't seem to lead on from each other. However, Mcnamara's words are extremely poignant and anyone keen to rush nations into war should listen to these lessons from someone who is now reflecting on the consequences of decisions he was involved in on the world stage. A compelling speaker, and worth listening to, even if the 11 lessons don't always seem to sum up the bundle of narrative and comments that follow.

This blew me away. It is a documentary / autobiography about Richard Macnamaras (the defence secretary under / advising Lyndon Johnson and Kennedy before him)life. Amazing insight into how the world is run by people having a guess, especially when he admits that the vietnam war was a bit of a mistake! 'Ooops sorry didn't mean to kill a couple of million humans, could happen to anyone.' Watch in awe.

Witty, inteligent, honest and brutal. This is a great documentary examining events in the life of Robert S Macnamara, everything from The Ford Motor Company to WW2 to Vietnam and beyond is covered. This guy really knows what he's talking about and at times it really is very moving as he recalls personal experiences with President Kennedy. An absolute must see that you'll remember for a long time afterwards.

To hear someone so closely associated with the events of the 20th Century is always worth it. Whether you agree or disagree with what he talks about to hear how the decision made were thought through adds to your understand of how these evetns happended. Really enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone who has an interest in politics and stratigic studies.

LESSON #1 Make it interesting. It was certainly well made and interesting. Complex issues revealed in a simple, engaging way. Worth watching definitely. Your not asked to like the man, he's not looking for forgiveness... it is just an amazing period in time that has affected the world and still continues to do so.

interesting docu, esp. if you're into that period of history - told in the words of a man at the heart of the beast. Not particularly cohesive as any kind of argument, but some good stories with fascinating bits of archive footage and insights into the workings of power. For its failings still more challenging and engaging than another action adventure...

Some great advice - always answer the question you wish you had been asked - and lots of insight into historic events from a highly intelligent man who was a leading participant in, and unafraid to take responsibility for, unpleasant but necessary decisions.

A brilliantly sculpted documentary. This should be compulsive viewing for anyone in government. A moving and incisive interview with a man who knows much about what went on behind closed doors at the white house before, during and after the cold war. Even if you are uninterested in history this will touch many emotions.

A fine documentary taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of one of the most influential individuals in 1960s American politics. Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defence during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the start of the Vietnam War pulls no punches in his assessment of those conflicts and provides a valuable insight into how lessons learnt then should be applied to modern day conflicts and society in general. A riveting watch.

A fine documentary taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of one of the most influential individuals in 1960s American politics. Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defence during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the start of the Vietnam War pulls no punches in his assessment of those conflicts and provides a valuable insight into how lessons learnt then should be applied to modern day conflicts and society in general. A riveting watch.

A fascinating and simply structured documentary examining the wealth of experience accumulated over an amazing career. To begin with, the constant jump cutting (expertly done as it is) does get on your nerves. However, once it stops jarring (and you stop worrying if the filmmakers are putting words in McNamaras mouth) you feel as if you are getting a real impression of a man who was at the centre of some of the most pivotal descisions in the 20th century. If you want to get an even deeper impression of the man, I urge you to watch the extra clips that didn't make it into the finished version. It is then that it begins to become clear just how much material the film makers had to work with. It is in seeing what has been left out that you see the humanity of the films subject.

If you've got an interest in the Vietnam war or war in general then you will like this Documentary. Its basically an account of of ex secretary of state Robert Mcnamara while he was in office and the certain decisions that were made and the cost of these decisions. Its very interesting to look at it from his point of view and when he tells the story of president Kennedys shooting it is genuinely moving.

A talking head documentary but what a head. Robert McNamara served JFK then LBJ but mostly he served himself. This is an interesting film that never really gets beneath the skin of this man. He made mistakes in his life but he is never made to face up to these. But in my opinion still worth a watch.

Fascinating documentary on Robert McNarmara who lived and made decisions during a hugely important period of American and World history. Watching him and listening to him talking about Vietnam and the Cuban Missile Crisis brings this period to life and makes you realise how close the World came to a disastrous conclusion. You can also see how he has tried to come to terms with some of the decisions he was forced or willingly took.

It is good to hear about the realities of governmental decision making at a time of war. Including the terrible costs of a (possibly expected) lack of understanding between enemies. The disclosure about the true errors of insight into enemy motivations in the Vietnam war (from both sides) is fundamentally disturbing. I think this should be compulsory viewing for teenage kids in history lessons. Highly Recommended.

There is no doubt that McNamara is charismatic and that the subject is compelling, but the number of jump cuts employed throughout the film made me wonder how much was left out and how much was stitched together by the filmmaker. The use of archival footage was fascinating and provided an insight into the times, but too many tricks with editing made me wonder if the film was trying to reveal McNamara's personality or compete with it?

This is essential viewing for anyone with an interest in diplomacy and foreign affairs, and viewing of it should be a mandatory job requirement for any Foreign Secretary.

Fascinating stuff, though of course only one side, Mr McNamara's, of the story.

This film offers amazing insights into the mad goings on in the West Wing.

Tony Blair & George Bush (and everyone who cares about politics) should watch this movie.

Macnamara certainly has the credentials. Shame those in power never seem to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors.

Worth seeing.

Moving, fasinating and beautifully made documentary about this remarkable, if not always likeable man who seems to have had a hand in many of the events which shaped the 2nd half of the twentieth century.

A very interesting look into what happened with Vietnam, amongst other US forrays into International wars. Great direct interview footage with Robert MacNamara, and archive footage/photos from the time in question.

I can only endorse what many other reviewers have said here.

An extremely engaging and revealing look at McNamara's involvement in US foreign policy and in particular Vietnam. But his insights into US actions in the 2WW in the Pacific are also quite shocking.

Vital viewing for anyone interested in the state of the world today...I shall be emailing my MP and requesting him to watch it.

This was a fascinating film, really enjoyable to watch. It's one of the best documentaries I've seen - very engaging, not at all dry or boring.

fascinating account of mcnamara's career

Informative, insightful, charismatic, determined. Mr McNamara has led a pretty eventful life, from WWII to the Cuba Missile Crisis and Vietnam - not to mention serving as Presidents of the Ford Motor Company and then the World Bank. He must have a pretty impressive CV! You may not like the man, you may not agree with the decisions he made whilst in office, but in this age of wishy-washy-liberals who can’t seem to decide whether to go for tea or coffee it’s refreshing to come across someone who made the big decisions... be they right or wrong, and has had to live with the consequences. Watch it and learn something, but remember everyone's view of history is different... that’s what makes it such an interesting and complex subject.

A mesmerising look into the mind of a bright man seduced by an ultimate power... what would I do?

Let me start with a review of a review about this film - I though Marthaclarkfromengland's review (its in the 'hated it' section) was spot on. perfect review. I totally agree with her. MacNamara is a cold blooded killer. A man who has made a career out of bloodshed. Mostly civilians. Is he the greatest living murderer? Perhaps 8 million have died by his hand (5.5 in vietnam alone). And this is a see through attempt by him to 'justify' himself. Its still a very interesting film. Even if he is a sorry excuse for a human.

An exquisite documentary. The director (Errol Morris) expertly blends static and moving images with a beautifully mysterious soundtrack in counterpoint to the career reflections of a very important figure on the geo-political stage in the 1960's. Sounds dull, but in fact it is a compelling memoir. McNamara is erudite and clear in his thinking despite his 85 years. Yet his memories are self-serving and not entirely accurate, all of which makes this an outstanding character study. His memories and thoughts are distorted by the Fog of War, now as then.

I had to have my flatmate tell me who Robert S. McNamara was, and what he did, before I watched this film - he knows more about this time in American political history than I do. But to find that McNamara was in the middle of all of the biggest political scandals in the sixties and seventies; you know, Cuban Missiles, Cold War, Kennedy's assassination and the little matter of Vietnam; meant that I was interested to find out what he had to say about the whole affair. McNamara wasn't just there, he was the US Defence Secretary at the time and now to see and hear him at the age of 85 telling the world how he saw it, and how he still sees it today, makes for a great documentary. The documentary itself is unique in the perspective it gives us on some of the most important events in American, if not world history. Here we have a man at the end of his life wanting to tell the stories about all of the wonderful and evil things he witnessed during his time on Earth. Here is his testament to the world of what went on in the great halls of power which so determinedly grasp the control of our everyday lives. He has been beside the men of power as they swayed the course of the world in their judgements, he has seen the terror of what the human condition is capable of, has seen the soul of man fail at the most fatal moments and been prone to it's failure also. And here he gives us the benefit of the knowledge he has learned from his time in these places, using it as testimony in his trial, releasing the demons that have been weighing him down for many years, asking for understanding of the situation that was upon the world and asking forgiveness for his actions, for to him they were the best ones to take at the time. But by no stretch of the word is this a confession, no siree. You won't catch old Bob saying anything about his direct responsibility in Vietnam or the brutality that took place. But that hardly seems to matter. We weren't really expecting it anyway. What we get instead is an incredibly accurate, detailed description of happenings that took place leading up to, during and aside from the major events of the time. And this is where we, as people (a people born of war and conflict) learn our lessons. Errol Morris, melds the action footage from the war, along with harrowing stills, processed documents and eerie closed room phone recordings, so masterfully that a lot of the time you forget that all you are really doing is listening to one old man, in a chair, in front of a camera, telling you stories. And of course the stories are great, ones only a Grandad can tell, that are indescribably interesting as well as funny, exciting and thoughtful all at the right moments. The family stories are good background and the anecdotal evidence all stacks up to give you a better picture of the real events that are also taking place or that follow. You get a great understanding from McNamara of what it was like for the political regime in America at that time: The people that Kennedy had to rely on, the pressure from Russia, the fight against Communism as a world force, the introduction of nuclear weapons as a fighting force for global domination, the advent of superpower nationality; and then you see the decisions that were made, by mere men, when the weight of the world literally bore down upon them. Not all of them good. In the end this documentary gives McNamara a good platform for one last political speech, and a very fine one it is at that, but you can't keep an old politician down and you can sometimes feel it in his overbearing message of, 'We were fighting against Communism. They were fighting for Independence. Neither of us knew.' It all seems a little naive for someone as obviously intelligent as he is, and you can sense the political standpoint reasserting itself. However, he also gets the chance to defend himself for why it all happened, 'It was War' seems to be the simple answer. War doesn't make good people, it breeds evil; it doesn't follow humanity's laws, it is brutal and violent; it doesn't offer mercy to the weak or innocent, it annihilates all that stand against it. In his own words McNamara tells us this, he knows that bad choices were made, some he was responsible for, and that many people died, some viciously. But it was war and we were doing the best we could to win. Compassion is a weakness in war, and when faced with the might of your enemy wouldn't you rather put your trust in the man with blood on his hands? Wouldn't you rather win?

An insightful look through the eyes of a 'player' in US and world affairs through the 20th century. Beautifully written and presented, albeit that some aspects demonstrate a depressing take on our choices as humans. A haunting look at key events and how the major decisions in those dramas were reached. Every adult and teenager should watch it and learn why their participation in society and politics is crucial.

Mcnamara is a lucid and insightful 85 year old man, who provides relevant and interesting views on major world events. But his views are not those of a columnist, but those of a man who was instrumental in shaping the policy of world events, and as such are a lot more powerful. It is interesting to see an engaging man of 85 set against the footage of himself during the 60's and 70's. The film alludes to the fact that he was arrogant and unfeeling-and you get a sense of this from old footage too, but age appears to have mellowed this. f you are interested in modern history, this is a well filmed documentary that weaves it's way through complex historical subject matter while keeping it interesting to the viewer at all times.

The Fog of War really took me by surprise. I'm not one for history documentaries, but it is so cleverly crafted that I didn't even notice how much history I was taken in. It's never sledge-hammerish, but always measured, thought-provoking and real. Robert MacNamara makes a fascinating focal point, and although he is obviously guarded against some questions, the doco gives a very even portrait (making sure to point out that not everybody liked MacNamara, and why). Definitely worth a look for anyone interested in an intriguing man working during a fascinating period of America's history.

This film is structured around a long interview with RM who talks about his life but particulalrly about the Cuban missile crisis and the Vietnam war. WW1 was hoped to be the war to end all great wars. RM is jaw-droppingly honest about the way that mistakes are made and speaks of war as being a fog - it's so complex that nobody can understand it. He cites TS Eliot - to the effect that it's only when you reach your destination that you know where you started from. He concludes that America should never have been in Vietnam. And that with the Cuban crisis, rational men came close to destroying their own countries. Anyone who is interested in modern history should see this film.

I just hope President - as he will be after this review is published - Obama - watches this dvd. Excellent. Shows how tough it is to be human - a Hu-Man in the midst of war - especially when you are Secretary for Defense. Honest and humble and inspiring. In the same league as Culloden - the real story and Charge of the Light Brigade. Puts Rambo and all the other poor macho stuff into the right place - fantasy! And I'm a girl!

A fascinating, insightful and well-made documentary which really engages the viewer.

If you like docu/dramas and biography particularly 20th century people and post WWII stories, this is for you. It is the story of Robert McNamara, who was US Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The film uses archive footage and recent interviews including the films own interview with him. He was also a Harvard Business School graduate, a Colonel in the Air Force during WWII, president of Ford Motor Company and involved with the World Bank. An assured personality and very interesting character. The film gave good insight to what it was like during those tense and dramatic events and the politics behind it all. Excellent.

If one is into Discovery/History channel then definitely a good watch. This is shown to MBA students, hence not meant for entertainment viewing.

Thought-provoking look at an interesting point in history made even more relevant by today's political climate. One of the best documentary filmmakers ever. Also see his Thin Blue Line.

On the graffiti wall of history this man can say he was there... A fascinating account of what was going on from an inside witness, participant and perpetrator. History is supposed to teach us lessons and how not to repeat past mistakes such as considering how your enemy perceives you and your motives...however, I wonder if the decision makers today read, listen or watch history documentaries. Of course whether you believe what this man says is up to you after all everything he says is his opinion.

Great i loved it, great documentary ... worth watching it

This is a compelling documentary that at once casts a fascinating light on 20th Century American history and provides a remarkable and penetrating character study of one of its key players.

This is an absorbing, instructive and extraordinarily powerful documentary which I watched over and over again before returning it. Split into a number of discrete 'lessons' learnt by Mr McNamara throughout his life, this documentary displays more thought, ideas, challenges, and has more attention grabbing power than most fictional movies could ever hope to aspire to. If only there was more like this out there. In fact there is - it reminds me of a quite different but incredibly good documentary by Albert and David Maylses, called 'The Salesman'. Watch this one too, its just superb. Who could believe documentaries could be so brilliant? Me, for one.

A fascinating journey through the mind of Robert Strange Mcnamara. It is a 5 star film but I give it 4 stars because Robert did not give a full account. If you have wondered what the mind of an evil genius is then here you have it. We see and hear the words of a man that is responsible for organising the deaths of millions of people and his rationale for doing it. His rationale is a valid one, the struggle of the Cold War and the Domino Theory of the spread of communism in South East Asia. As he sees later, he was wrong and millions of people died because of it. Also interesting is the depiction of the total destruction of Japan in WW2. What preceded the 2 atomic bombs is horrific. The highlight of the film for me was the implicit linking of the death of JFK to the memorandum that JFK authorised in 1963 for the gradual withdrawal of US military advisors from Vietnam by 1965. Lyndon B Johnson was furious with McNamara on this point and as we know Lyndon cancelled this memorandum and replaced it with a policy of escalation and war in Vietnam. Strangely enough, although Mcnamara advised JFK to withdraw from Vietnam he subsequently became the chief architect of its destruction. This is history so I am not revealing 'the plot'. I watched the film twice and will probably buy it to keep in my collection. Fog of War is definitely worth watching

I am not a big history fan, but found this film/documentary very interesting. He was such a knowledgable man, without being over the top, you felt like he was a freind. A lot of his simple ideas would work to day, he also admitted when he was wrong.

I had really been looking forward to this but I was ultimately disappointed. A case of style winning out over content. Yes the movie/documentary looked great,but I wanted less flash editing & more substance. Give me more facts, further probing.

A compelling documentary about the time of the Cuban Missile Crises to the Vietnam war through the actions and decisions of the secretary of defence - Robert McNamara. This documentary is very engaging to watch. Robert McNamara does not apologise for his decisions that cost the lives of the countless thousands, first Japanese during the second world war and than Vietnamese afterwards but neither does he take sole credit for saving billions from a potential nuclear war with the Soviets during the Cuban crises. It is edited with a huge degree of flair and originality (with camera off set and innovative cuts) combining interviewing and stock library footage and flavoured with some wonderful music. It raises more questions as well as answer a whole raft. McNamara reluctance to answer some questions frustrates as well as intrigues and you only wish Errol Morris would plough deeper in his line of questioning. The lessons about not affording to make mistakes in a nuclear age, failure to understand or emphasise with your enemy is especially noteworthy given the situation in Iraq and the documentary smartly but also very subtly leads us to this conclusion. The amazing insight into the mindset of the US general, LeMay, is of particular fascination. It is a balanced documentary as it lays down the facts about wars and the decisions that went into them - both praises McNamara as it is a vehicle for him to get his side of the story across but neither does it let him off the hook on his culpability. It does lack the meat and bones in extracting anything controversial or new from McNamara. Overall - an entertaining history lesson.

monotone dialogue by auther could be improved using actor instead. Filmed in black and white wellmatches mood. Other opinions of events would add balance.

I love pretty much any kind of movie but even I would have to admit that this film, essentially a 90 minute monologue by an 85 year old man, isn't on the face of things the most alluring of prospects. Any documentary with a single speaker depends for its effect on the magnetism of that speaker and that is where The Fog Of War excels. Robert Strange McNamara was US secretary of defence during both the Cuban missile crisis and the early years of the war in Vietnam and he's a riveting speaker. Director Morris uses title cards to break up the film into its 11 'lessons' but really all the device serves to do is provide us a moment to catch our collective breath. McNamara talks fast and every sentence is packed with information, his anecdotes run from the funny (his wife ringing up to find out his middle name to put on the wedding invitations and, when told, responding; 'I know it's strange, but what is it?') to the sad: McNamara: In that single night, we burned to death one hundred thousand Japanese civilians in Tokyo. Men, women and children. Morris: Were you aware this was going to happen? McNamara: Well, I was part of a mechanism that, in a sense, recommended it. But it's the deeply, deeply scary descriptions of just how close the world has already come to all out nuclear war that stay longest in the memory. McNamara is obviously a smart guy and no matter how you feel about some of the things he did in his job he's also a very likeable one. Some of what he says in the film is hard to reconcile but most of his lessons are good ones, ones we should be learning in the political climate of 2005. The film as a visual piece is nicely put together but (fortunately) uncluttered Morris uses plenty of archival footage, photos and sound but time and again he cuts back to the commanding figure of McNamara who is always animated enough that he's interesting to watch as well as to listen to. The Fog Of War is a great film and, as a political documentary, shames the editing tricks and feeling of being beaten over the head with a point that Farenheit 9/11 deployed if you've any interest at all in politics and the way the world is today then it is required viewing.

Despite many stylish tricks, this is really nothing more than a series of rambling anecdotes from an ancient OAP. The OAP in question, however, is the still incredibly intelligent and articulate Robert ?Strange? ? that really is his middle name ? McNamara, who was US Secretary of State during most of the Sixties. He recounts various incidents during his term of office; the ?Cuba? crisis - where the world really was a buttons? press from Nuclear war, the Vietnam War and why he was eventually sacked. It?s a fascinating and revealing documentary but, be warned, if you know little of the time then the documentary will be very confusing.

Hard to know what to make of this. Watching McNamara speak is very interesting, and worth the price of admission.

However, the attempt to impose some kind of structure (lessons learned etc.) is very artificial as the content often bears little relationship to the supposed theme.

I was intrigued to watch this film, I'd heard so much about about it.

I fell asleep.

Nuff said.

What can i Say? The stpry is about politics in the 60's, I am interested in the problems with cuba during that time but not as portrayed in this film.

not my cup of tea - bad choice for me. This was more of a documentary than a film . Sorry cant recommend this one.

I like politics enough to be able to discern between agreeing with someone's views and admitting their brilliance no matter what their orientation is.

McNamara has more than one asset: a hilarious surname if you’re foreign; plus, he’s one clever mother. He's organised, good at maths, probably has a vice-like handshake.

A clever Capitalist basically. Who, at the age of 145, or whatever it is, feeling death looming over him like a Chinook, suddenly feels a bit of a wavering in his cold blooded murdering self and tries to win us over, so that he can go back to planning how many plumed black horses ought to carry his coffin to the end of history.

To me, this documentary is mainly an attempt to portray whoever cannot face up to the necessity of war as a tree hugging hippie. But, despite the dignified looks and the stifled tears and the ‘harsh reality’ scenarios that McNamara conjures up, it all falls on itself quite badly. Simply because you can so clearly see that he doesn't reason on one basic principle: equality. The way he speaks dreamily about all the honourable men he worked with, opposed to his scoffing at the death toll due to Agent Orange is as blatant as it gets.

I hope McNamara doesn’t think this close-up soul searching is enough to convince the front office of his good intentions. As he uses this documentary to wipe his conscience… I feel like using it to wipe something else…