William Westmoreland

(Deceased) William Westmoreland (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) was a United States Army general best known for commanding American military forces during much of the Vietnam War. He served as commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, from 1964 to 1968, overseeing a major increase in American troop levels and pursuing a strategy based largely on attrition and large-scale ground operations. Westmoreland later served as chief of staff of the United States Army from 1968 to 1972. His leadership in Vietnam remained highly controversial, particularly after the 1968 Tet Offensive challenged optimistic assessments of the war’s progress.