General william c westmoreland biography

25th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1914–2005)

William Childs Westmoreland (26 March 1914 – 18 July 2005) was a United States Armygeneral, most notably the commander of United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968.

He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1968 to 1972.

General william c westmoreland biography

Westmoreland adopted a strategy of attrition against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army, attempting to drain them of manpower and supplies. He also made use of the United States' edge in artillery and air power, both in tactical confrontations and in relentless strategic bombing of North Vietnam.

Nevertheless, public support for the war eventually diminished, especially after the Battle of Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive in 1968. By the time he was reassigned as Army Chief of Staff, United States military forces in Vietnam had reached a peak of 535,000 personnel.

Westmoreland's strategy was ultimately politically and militarily unsucc