The Fog of War

Kendra, Cassy, Ashlyn

Lesson 1- Empathize with your Enemy

Historical Example- Germany and Italy were allies in the beginning of WWII so they could empathize with each other, but Mussolini was thrown out of power. Although Germany and Italy were now fighting against each other, they still could empathize with each other because they had a previous alliance.

Current example- The UN peace keeping in Afghanistan.

Robert McNamara's Example- Cuban Missile Crisis

Lesson 2- Rationality will not save us

Historical Example- In times of desperation, the German people turned to Hitler because he was presenting rational ideas at the beginning to help the German nation get out of debt and poverty.

Current Examples- Since people thought they were being rational about their loans and mortgage payments from the bank in the USA by taking out mortgages over longer periods of time, but in all actuality it eventually spiraled downwards into a recession.

Robert McNamara's Example- Soviet and USA letters

Lesson 3- There is something beyond one’s self

Historical Example- Martin Luther King advocating black rights because he saw something beyond himself and wanted to help change the inequality among blacks and whites.

Contemporary Example- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt adopting foreign children.

Robert McNamara's Example- World War II

Lesson 4- Maximize Efficiency

Historical Example- Dr. W. Edwards Deming was being ignored in the USA for his statistics on efficiency, so they sent him to Japan and they took his advice and still use it today, that is why Japan is more advanced then us.

Contemporary Example- Current companies have been firing many workers and putting technology in their stead, trying to make production lines more efficient.

Robert McNamara's Example- B-29 dropped altitude and fired bombs destroying Tokyo

Lesson 5- Proportionality should be a guideline of War

Historical Example-

Contemporary Example

Robert McNamara's Example- Bombing in Vietnam

Lesson 6- Get the Data

Historical Example-

Contemporary Example- The USA invading Iraq on suspicion, not fact.

Robert McNamara's Example- Ford Vehicles

Lesson 7- Belief and seeing are both often wrong

Historical Example-

Contemporary Example-

Robert McNamara's Example- Cuban Missile

Lesson 8- Be prepared to examine your Reasoning

Historical Example- The FLQ Crisis in Quebec. Many Quebec nationalists and advocates of civil rights criticized the use of the War Measures Act as excessive and too broad, especially for a case involving two kidnappings and a murder, issues that would normally be dealt with by the police and existing laws.

Contemporary Example-

Robert McNamara's Example- Toxic chemicals used in Vietnam

Lesson 9- In order to do good you may have to engage in evil

Historical Example- Hitler trying to help the German nation, but ended up in a Jewish genocide.

Contemporary Example-

Robert McNamara's Example- Man holding child burned in protest

Lesson 10- Never say never

Historical Example-

Contemporary Example

Robert McNamara's Example- Vietnam War

Lesson 11-You can’t change Human Nature

Historical Example-

Contemporary Example- In Africa, the grandmothers an siblings take care of the younger ones when their parents die.

Robert McNamara's Example- His opinion on different issues involving this documentary