A new scheme for radar detection and discrimination, the radar waveform synthesis method, is investigated. This scheme consists of synthesizing the waveform of an incident radar signal which excites the target in such a way that the return radar signal from the target contains only a single natural resonance mode of the target. When the synthesized incident radar signal for a known preselected target is applied to a wrong target, the return radar signal will be significantly different from that of a natural mode of resonance, thus the wrong target can be sensitively discriminated. A simple geometry of a thin wire illuminated by a radar signal at normal incidence has been studied. The induced current on the target and the backscattered field from the target are obtained in terms of natural resonance modes. The required waveforms for the incident radar signal for exciting return radar signals which contain various single natural mode of resonance are obtained. When an incident radar signal synthesized to excite a natural resonance mode of a thin wire is applied to a slightly shorter or longer thin wire, the return radar signal from the wrong target is shown to be significantly different from that of a pure natural mode of resonance.