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After his presidency, just months before his death in 1972, President Lyndon B. Johnson spoke at the new LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin, Texas. He said this about the presidency: "His biggest job is not doing what's right, but knowing what is right. And in this frightening age in which we live, it's pretty difficult to know what's right."

The new documentary from Public Radio International, titled "LBJ's War," sheds light on a question that has intrigued historians for decades: Why was a politician as skilled as President Johnson unable, or unwilling, to extricate his country from a war in Vietnam that evidence now shows he knew was unwinnable?

Truth, agony return in 'The Vietnam War'

Just three months into his presidency, in 1964, LBJ received a call from his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara. In that call the president laid out four options for how to deal with the situation in Vietnam.

 Send American Marines to attack the Viet Cong.

 Allow the Viet Cong to take South Vietnam.

 Pull the troops out of Vietnam completely.

 Train the Vietnamese to fight the Viet Cong.

The final option was the only viable one for maintaining public approval, which became LBJ's main challenge for the remainder of the conflict.

"LBJ's War" is hosted by David Brown. Written by David Brown and Steve Atlas. Produced by PRI, Public Radio International.

To listen to the documentary, click the audio player above.

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The documentary "LBJ's War" features archival audio of President Johnson and others discussing the Vietnam War, which evidence shows he, and others, knew was unwinnable.

Why LBJ couldn't, or wouldn't, extricate America from the Vietnam War

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