Why was Defense secretary McNamara Gloomy ?
And how do you define "gloomy"?
When LBJ goes to war. During the vietnam war
Do you suppose that McNamara was unhappy about going to war?
http://www.biography.com/people/robert-s-mcnamara-9394201
To understand why Defense Secretary McNamara may have been gloomy, we need to look into the historical context and events surrounding his tenure. Robert McNamara served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
During McNamara's time in office, the United States was heavily involved in the Vietnam War. McNamara played a significant role in the escalation of American military involvement in Vietnam. Initially, McNamara shared a common belief with policymakers that the U.S. could achieve victory through conventional military means and that American intervention in Vietnam was necessary to prevent the spread of communism.
However, as the war dragged on, McNamara's perspective started to change. The Vietnam War proved to be a protracted and costly conflict, causing a significant loss of American lives and an increasing divide among the American population. McNamara became increasingly skeptical about the U.S. strategy and the prospects of success.
In 1967, McNamara privately expressed his concerns about the war's progress and the effectiveness of American tactics in a secret memo referred to as the "McNamara Pentagon Papers." These papers revealed McNamara's growing doubts about the war but were only declassified and made public years later.
As the war continued, McNamara's gloominess can be attributed to the heavy burden of leading a military effort that seemed to have no end in sight, mounting casualties, and the realization that the U.S. involvement in Vietnam was unlikely to result in a clear victory. McNamara's introspection and remorse for his role in the war led him to resign as Secretary of Defense in 1968.
In summary, Defense Secretary McNamara's gloomy demeanor during his tenure can be attributed to his growing doubts and concerns about the Vietnam War, the heavy toll it took on American lives, and the realization that the U.S. strategy was not producing the desired outcome.