James Blight compares notes in Hanoi with Luu Doan Huynh, formerly Vietnam's ambassador to Thailand and the country's senior expert on the United States. The public response to the book convinced McNamara that something more was required. He wanted explanations, and if possible, vindication. In Hanoi in November, Blight, McNamara, and several scholars began the politically delicate task of organizing an unprecedented conference, which will take place there in late 1996 or early 1997. Previously secret U.S. and Vietnamese documents will be declassified and studied beforehand to help a small group of former top-level American and Vietnamese officials discuss their reasoning in conducting the war.
Interest is already high.
McNamara is due to speak at Brown on February 15, in part to attract more publicity for the conference. The attitude of the Vietnamese has so far been encouraging, Blight says. They are very surprised that the war is not behind us, as it is more or less for them. They are hoping this will increase their overall credibility with the American people. They feel they grovel as much as they can for normalizing relations with the United States, and still some Congressman can stand up with a list of eight people missing in action and hammer away at them.