Westmoreland, William Childs (1914-2005), an American general, commanded United States forces in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He relied on ground operations that stressed the number of enemy dead over territory gained, a policy that became known as “search and destroy.” In 1967, Westmoreland made several optimistic reports on United States progress in the war. But in early 1968, enemy attacks on the major cities of South Vietnam raised doubts about the war’s outcome. Later that year, Westmoreland returned to the United States to serve as Army chief of staff. He retired in 1972.
In 1982, a CBS-TV documentary, “The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception,” charged that Westmoreland underestimated enemy strength in 1967 and 1968 to make it appear that U.S. forces were winning the war. Westmoreland sued CBS, claiming that its charges about the underestimated troop figures were false and had damaged his reputation. During the trial, some former high-ranking military officials supported the CBS charges. Soon afterward, Westmoreland and CBS officials reached an agreement to drop the suit. They issued statements pledging mutual respect for each other, but CBS also stood by its broadcast.
Westmoreland was born on March 26, 1914, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1936. During World War II (1939-1945), Westmoreland commanded artillery forces in North Africa, Sicily, and northern Europe. He led a paratroop regiment and became a brigadier general during the Korean War (1950-1953). He became a lieutenant general in 1963. Westmoreland died on July 18, 2005.
