Originally published on the CGS blog on July 7, 2009.
Robert McNamara has passed away today at the age of 93. He was most well known for being the eighth secretary of defense. He served under both President Kennedy and President Johnson from 1961-1968. He then went on to become the President of the World Bank. Even after retiring McNamara was very active in politics and organizations which promote peace.
His disagreements with President Johnson regarding the Vietnam War lead to his eventual resignation. In 1967 McNamara advised the President to stop sending in troops and bombing North Vietnam. After the war McNamara became an advocate for organizations like the International Criminal Court. He wanted to prevent another war like the Vietnam War and believed that the US needed to submit to the ICC. He also believed in the need for restrictions on the use of nuclear weapons. McNamara’s experiences during the Vietnam War influenced his contributions to organizations like the ICC. His legacy is long and important and he will be remembered.
