Troubled by Johnson’s stubbornness, Clifford unexpectedly convened a meeting of the “Wise Men”—an informal group of national security veterans who had moved in and out of high-level government positions since the early years of the Cold War. When they were last consulted in November 1967, these men had been enthusiastic supporters of the Vietnam effort. However, the losses in Tet and the perceived incompetence of ARVN had led many to conclude that any hope of military victory would require more time and resources than the American public was likely to accept.
