McNamara at War: A New History

There was no argument about how bright Robert McNamara was, whether he was aiding the US war effort in World War II regarding logistical or manpower issues, or turning around the fortunes of the flagging Ford Motor Company in the 1950s. However, the questions that dogged him from the 1960s until the end of his life related to his handling of the Vietnam War. McNamara accepted President John F. Kennedy’s offer to join his administration and was viewed favorably from the days of “Camelot” into the first years of the Johnson administration. Despite believing in Kennedy’s decision not to send US troops to Southeast Asia, McNamara reversed his thinking under Johnson. As the war turned against the US and his thinking was second-guessed, McNamara was never the same person.

McNamara at War is a meticulously researched and excellent book about the life and work of one of the most pivotal, polarizing, and longest-serving Secretaries of Defense in US History. Authors Philip and William Taubman provide illuminating information about Robert McNamara and how his upbringing and mindset helped shape his decisions at Ford Motor Company, the Department of Defense, and the World Bank. This is a biography of immense significance.