⭐⭐⭐⭐ McNamara’s Folly by Gregory
| Full Title | McNamara’s Folly: The Use of Low-IQ Troops in the Vietnam War |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hamilton Gregory |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Date Read | May 22, 2018 |
| Rating | 4/5 stars |
Sometimes it is easy to get caught in a bubble of where you work and the people you hang out with. Books like these are nice, since they provide context and make you understand the world on a more holistic level. Most surprising were that the new minimum IQ qualifications for military service didn’t seem that low to me - whereas before, the military required a score in the 31st percentile, it was lowered as part of Project 100,000 down to the 10th percentile. Although the author goes into the fact that a large number of recruits were let in through ‘administrative acceptance’ (and actually had scores even lower) - it was still surprising to me how stark a contrast there was in 31 vs 10.
I would only give 3.5 stars, however, because the second part of the book becomes repetitive very quickly and probably isn’t worth a read. The author chooses to go into stories of individuals, without ever focusing on anyone for more than a few paragraphs. This makes it hard to connect with
those described and results in what feels like a mass of stories haphazardly smashed together.
Overall would recommend reading, but only the first half (parts 1-3). The author does a good job of defining any military concepts or slang, which is nice for readers that don’t have previous familiarity.