End of the Tour

(2 of 2)

Bitterness & Frustration. Westmoreland's friends are already saying that he was overdirected from Washington and forced to fight a war on the cheap. The general himself is known to be bitter about the flak from home and frustrated by what he thinks has been a letdown in support from the Administration. The timing of last week's announcement is not likely to mollify him. Not only did it occur at a juncture when the allies are on the defensive, but, coming so early, it may pull the commander's punch. "Why the hell did they announce it now?" asked one high-ranking officer in Saigon. "Do they want to lame-duck his next couple of months?"

His new appointment must be approved by the Senate, and some time before he enters his new Pentagon office in July, Westmoreland will be pressed to explain to congressional committees how and why the U.S. design for Viet Nam has fallen so far short of its original expectations—and what should be done next.