in other areas, such as public
accommodation, transportation, and to some extent even in dependent
schooling, precisely because the requests of local commanders were
supported by a growing national consensus and the force of national
legislation. In dealing with housing discrimination, however, these
same commanders faced public indifference or open hostility without
the comforting support of federal law. Even with the commander's
wholehearted commitment to open housing, a commitment that equal
opportunity directives from the services could by no means insure, his
effectiveness against such widespread discrimination was questionable.
Nothing in his training prepared him for the delicate negotiations
involved in obtaining integrated housing. Moreover, it was extremely
difficult if not impossible to isolate the black serviceman's housing
plight from that of other black citizens; thus, an open housing
campaign really demanded comprehensive action by the whole federal
government. The White House had never launched a national open housing
campaign; it was not, indeed, until 16 February 1967 that President
Johnson submitted a compulsory national open housing bill to
Congress.[23-80]

[Footnote 23-80: A weakened version of this bill
eventually emerged as the Civil Rights Act of
1968.]

Whatever the factors contributing to the lack of progress, (p. 603)
McNamara admitted that "the voluntary program had failed and failed
miserably."[23-81] Philosophically, Robert McNamara found this
situation intolerable. He had become interested in the "unused
potential" of his department to change American society as it affected
the welfare of servicemen. As Fitt explained, the secretary believed

any department which administers 10% of the gross national
product, with influence over the lives of 10 million people, is
bound to have an impact. The question is whether it's going to be
a dumb, blind impact, or a marshaled and ordered impact.

McNamara wanted to marshal that impact by committing defense
resources to social goals that were still compatible with the
primary mission of security.[23-82]

[Footnote 23-81: McNamara, _The Essence of Security_,
p. 124.]

[Footnote 23-82: Quoted by Brower, "McNamara Seen Now,
Full Length," p. 89.]

Clearly, the Secretary of