Get Cynical

During the 1950s, much of the world was quivering with anticipation over the exciting prospects of nuclear power. Atomic energy promised to churn out clean, safe electricity that would be “too cheap to meter.” It seemed that there was no energy problem too large or too small for the mighty atom to tackle during the glorious and modern Atomic Age.

It was during this honeymoon with nuclear energy– in 1957– that the Ford Motor Company unveiled the most ambitious project in their history: a concept vehicle which had a sleek futuristic look, emitted no harmful vapors, and offered incredible fuel mileage far beyond that of the most efficient cars ever built. This automobile-of-the-future was called the Ford Nucleon, named for it’s highly unique design feature… a pint-size atomic fission reactor in the trunk.

• There is no question that the Communist menace in French Indochina has been stopped. [American General J. Lawton Collins, Army Chief of Staff, 1951]

• Every quantitative measure we have shows we’re winning the war. [Robert McNamara, American Secretary of Defence, 1962]

• The corner definitely has been turned towards victory in Vietnam. [Arthur D. Syvester, 1963]

• The Vietcong will just peter out. [American General Maxwell Taylor, October 1965]

• The Vietcong are going to collapse within weeks. Not months, but weeks. [Walt W. Rostow, American State Department policy planner, 1965]

• It looks very good. The other side is near collapse. In my opinion, victory is very near… I’ll show you the charts. The charts are very good. [Walt W. Rostow, 1967]