William P. Bundy — American Historian born on September 24, 1917, died on October 06, 2000

William Putnam "Bill" Bundy was an attorney and intelligence expert, an analyst with the CIA. He was notable as a foreign affairs advisor to both presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He had key roles in planning the Vietnam War, serving as deputy to Paul Nitze under Kennedy and as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs under Johnson... (wikipedia)

I was never able to convince myself that there was a cost-free alternative course, as from 1961, or that any of the different strategies since proposed, especially those involving stronger military action, would have made sense.
We seek no wider war.