Going Downtown: The War Against Hanoi and Washington

Author: Jack Broughton
Publisher: Orion Books USA
Edition: First
Cover: Hardcover w/Dust Cover
Published: 1988
Jet
The author brings forth the air war in Vietnam in all its complexity--from the hellish battles over Hanoi, to the war in Washington over the political and military realities of the conflict.

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Synopsis: Jack Broughton's candid and controversial account examines the political and military complexities of the air war over North Vietnam, providing an insider's perspective on how civilian interference and unrealistic restrictions hampered American air operations during the Vietnam War. This provocative work reveals the frustrations experienced by combat pilots who faced increasingly dangerous missions while operating under politically motivated constraints that prevented effective prosecution of the air campaign. Broughton chronicles his personal experience as a fighter pilot and wing commander, providing intimate insight into the daily reality of flying combat missions over heavily defended North Vietnamese targets. The book examines the gradual escalation of the air campaign, showing how piecemeal commitment and arbitrary target restrictions prevented the decisive application of American air power. The author analyzes the role of civilian leadership in micromanaging air operations, revealing how politicians and bureaucrats made tactical decisions that endangered aircrew and reduced mission effectiveness. The work explores the development of North Vietnamese air defenses, including surface-to-air missiles and radar-guided anti-aircraft guns that created an increasingly lethal environment for American pilots. Broughton documents the courage and professionalism of fighter pilots who flew dangerous missions despite impossible rules of engagement and inadequate support from higher headquarters. The book examines the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by combat airmen who questioned orders that seemed designed more for political impact than military effectiveness. The author analyzes specific operations and their failures, showing how political considerations overrode military judgment in target selection and timing. The work chronicles the persecution of pilots who spoke out against ineffective policies, including Broughton's own court-martial for violating operational security regulations. The book explores the psychological impact of flying under restrictive rules of engagement, analyzing how political constraints affected pilot morale and combat effectiveness. Broughton examines the disconnect between public statements about the air campaign and the reality experienced by combat crews facing increasingly sophisticated enemy defenses. The author analyzes the effectiveness of different aircraft and weapons systems, showing how technological capabilities were negated by operational restrictions. The work documents the evolution of enemy tactics and how North Vietnamese forces adapted to American limitations and predictable patterns. Broughton explores the intelligence failures and bureaucratic dysfunction that characterized the air campaign's planning and execution. The book examines the long-term consequences of ineffective air operations, analyzing how the failure to achieve decisive results affected subsequent American military doctrine and strategy. Through passionate advocacy and detailed analysis, the author argues that American air power could have achieved decisive victory if properly employed, providing a controversial but compelling critique of how political interference undermined military effectiveness and unnecessarily prolonged a costly conflict.

Going Downtown: The War Against Hanoi and Washington, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.