Because James did not truly know the enemy, or really know the lengths that they would go in order to win he was not able to truly fight them. This is why as a 2nd Lieutenant you need to know your enemy just as much as you know your own troops.
James R. McDonough came into the war unsure of himself, how to lead, how to fight, how to serve his country, but through his time in Vietnam he was able to grow and learn from his mistakes in order to become a stronger solder and a stronger leader. And that is the most important trait of a second Lieutenant, is the ability to grow, to learn from your mistakes and to repeat your successes. Someone who is willing to take the time to get better at his job, to learn from what he did wrong and help change
James R. McDonough came into the war unsure of himself, how to lead, how to fight, how to serve his country, but through his time in Vietnam he was able to grow and learn from his mistakes in order to become a stronger solder and a stronger leader. And that is the most important trait of a second Lieutenant, is the ability to grow, to learn from your mistakes and to repeat your successes. Someone who is willing to take the time to get better at his job, to learn from what he did wrong and help change