William Childs Westmoreland (26 March 1914 to 18 July 2005) was a United States Army general, who most notably commanded United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1968 to 1972. Westmoreland adopted a strategy of attrition against the Việt Cộng and the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN), attempting to drain them of manpower and supplies. He also made use of the United States’ edge in artillery and air power, both in tactical confrontations and in relentless strategic bombing of North Vietnam. Under his leadership tenure, public support for the war diminished quickly, especially after the Battle of Khe Sanh and the Tết Offensive in 1968. By the time he was re-assigned as Army Chief of Staff, United States military forces in Vietnam had reached a peak of 535,000 personnel.
