The US had never lost a war - that is, until 1975, when it was forced to flee Saigon in humiliation. The legacy of this first defeat has haunted every president since, especially on the decision of whether to put "boots on the ground" and commit troops to war. In Haunting Legacy, Marvin Kalb and Deborah Kalb present a compelling, and hugely important history of presidential decisionmaking on one crucial issue: in light Vietnam, under what circumstances should the US go to war?