A skilled diplomat's absorbing assessment of three decades of American military and foreign policy entanglements and, some of the lessons learned from Vietnam to Bosnia. In Bosnia, Holbrooke wanted NATO's force to do as much as possible to implement the Dayton Peace Accords.

From Navy attack pilot in Vietnam to head of NATO operations in Bosnia, this military leader recounts his vivid experiences and the cautionary lessons learned about the military's role and responsibility. In Bosnia, he was reluctant to undertake certain military tasks without adequate force and a clear definition of the military's mission. In 1996 he was relieved of his command in Bosnia.