In Franz Kafka's "The Trial," a priest sets out to explain the mysteries of life to a character called K. They discuss a parable of the law and disagree on its meaning.
"No," says the priest, "it is not necessary to accept everything as true, one must only accept it as necessary."
"A melancholy conclusion," K responds. "It turns lying into a universal principle."
From Truman to Ford, six Presidents felt that they had to do and say what was necessary to prevent a Communist takeover of Vietnam. For all, perhaps with the exception of Mr, Ford, Indochina was their initiation into American foreign policy. While other threats to peace came and went, Vietnam was always there--a cockpit of confrontation, a testing place.
And there were always two battles going on, for those 25 years: one out there and one back here.
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