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Roger Hilsman was an important State Department official in the Kennedy administration, active in formulation of policy leading into the Vietnam War from 1961-1963. Hilsman was one of the leading opponents of a conventional military escalation of the war, frequently clashing with the Pentagon in an effort to limit U.S. engagement. Hilsman was convinced that “victory” in Vietnam was possible if the United States instead adopted a counterinsurgency approach to the conflict. This perception was forged by his experiences as a guerrilla fighter in World War II. Perceived as one of the main architects of the coup against President Diem in 1963, and vilified by elements in the United States military and press, he was removed from office by President Johnson early in 1964.
Gerald Protheroe is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Global Affairs at New York University, where he teaches courses in international history. His publications include “Limiting America's Engagement: Roger Hilsman's Vietnam War, 1961-1963,” and “Searching for Security in a New Europe: the Diplomatic Career of Sir George Russell Clerk.”
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