Which US general commanded US forces in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968?

William Westmoreland commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968. He led the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), first taking command in June 1964 and overseeing the major American military buildup that followed.

Westmoreland directed U.S. operations as American involvement shifted from an advisory mission to a large-scale ground war. His strategy emphasized attrition: using superior firepower and search-and-destroy operations to inflict losses that North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces could not replace. The approach produced major battles and high enemy casualty estimates, but it did not secure a decisive political victory.

The Tet Offensive in early 1968 undermined public confidence in official claims that victory was near. Westmoreland was reassigned later that year to become Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and General Creighton Abrams succeeded him in Vietnam. Paul Harkins and Maxwell Taylor also held earlier senior command roles, which can cause confusion, but Westmoreland is the canonical answer for the 1964–1968 period.