In the recent CNN News video Retired general reacts to Trump's military comments after 00:50 Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark (ret) says (my transcription from the video):
First of all, the historical record shows that it’s the military that usually is advocating against the use of force.
If you go back and look at all the examples; going back even into the Vietnam War, it was the military that put the “go slow” on it, since the Tet Offensive at least.
And so if you look at the ’90s, the ‘00s, the military has always said “can’t you use diplomacy first?”, “please don’t put us in there”, “do you understand what may happen if it doesn’t work the way you think it does?”.
So it’s the military that puts the breaks on.
Clark is certainly a scholar of military history and a short video interview doesn't allow them to cite sources, but I would like to read further.
What examples are there of military advisors "putting the 'go slow'" on the use of force in the Vietnam War "since the Tet Offensive"? Are there specific individuals who are noted for cautioning US presidents Johnson or Nixon to "go slow", and records of what they said or wrote to the president to this effect?
An answer primarily citing sources with short quotes will allow me to read further.
