Can We Win in Vietnam? The American Dilemma

Pall Mall Press, London, 1968 An exceptional copy of the first British edition, inscribed to Elmo Zumwalt and SIGNED by Herman Kahn on the front free endpaper. The inscription is dated December 11, 1969 and reads: "To Bud Zumwalt, Who is well on his way to making the answer to the question asked by the title, a resounding yes! If you have the time, I hope you will enjoy this." Red cloth-covered boards, grey cloth-covered spine, gilt spine lettering (bright), 8 5/8 x 5 7/8 inches, 427 pp., maps. Book near fine (a small spot of staining, lower aspect of pp. 15-18, not affecting text; else fine). Dustcover very good (moderate edgewear). "Herman Kahn (February 15, 1922 July 7, 1983) was a founder of the Hudson Institute and one of the preeminent futurists of the latter part of the twentieth century. He originally came to prominence as a military strategist and systems theorist while employed at the RAND Corporation. He became known for analyzing the likely consequences of nuclear war and recommending ways to improve survivability, making him one of three historical inspirations for the title character of Stanley Kubrick's classic black comedy film satire Dr. Strangelove." "Elmo Russell "Bud" Zumwalt Jr. (November 29, 1920 January 2, 2000) was an American naval officer and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in U.S. military history, especially during the Vietnam War --- Zumwalt's eldest son, Elmo Zumwalt III, served as lieutenant on one of Zumwalt's patrol boats during the Vietnam War. In January 1983, he was diagnosed with lymphoma, and in 1985 it was discovered that he also had Hodgkin's disease. In addition, his son Elmo Russell Zumwalt IV had been born in 1977 with severe learning disabilities. Admiral Zumwalt and his family were convinced that both son and grandson were victims of Agent Orange, which the admiral had ordered to be sprayed over the Mekong Delta to kill vegetation and drive "the Viet Cong back 1,000 yards off the water's edge". In an article published in The New York Times in 1986, Elmo Zumwalt III said: 'I am a lawyer and I don't think I could prove in court, by the weight of the existing scientific evidence, that Agent Orange is the cause of all the medical problems - nervous disorders, cancer and skin problems - reported by Vietnam veterans, or of their children's severe birth defects. But I am convinced that it is.'" (1722RO088). Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good.