Westmoreland, William Childs (1914-2005), an American general, commanded United States forces in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He relied on ground operations that stressed the number of enemy dead over territory gained, a policy that became known as "search and destroy." In 1967, Westmoreland made several optimistic reports on United States progress in the war. But in early 1968, enemy attacks on the major cities of South Vietnam raised doubts about the war's outcome. Later that year, Westmoreland returned to the United States to serve as Army chief of staff. He retired in 1972.