The Whitt Review

In the counsels of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist…only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.    – President Dwight Eisenhower, farewell address, 1961

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Imagine you live in the decade after the Second World War. Europe is rebuilding and Asia is rebelling. Mao Zedong has led a communist revolution in China. Joseph Stalin has laid claim to half a continent. Only the United States has emerged from the conflict stronger than before. Too often we underestimate the uncertainty and chaos that existed during this period, our historical lens blurred by the prosperity experienced at home. But the rest of the world convulsed with enormous cultural and economic change, producing conditions ripe for ideologies at odds with what our nation fought so hard to preserve. If you were the leader of the only remaining superpower, how would you balance might with right?  

 

"The Imagineers of War", by Sharon Weinberger, tells the story of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. In response to the Soviet Union’s surprise launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, President Eisenhower believed the country needed an incubator to foster new technologies that showed promise for national defense - essentially venture capital for rockets, satellites, spaceships, and weapons. More importantly, Eisenhower believed the country needed a focused and consolidated effort to prevent the Soviet Union from building an insurmountable lead in weapons technology. DARPA would bring together government, private industry, and academia to ensure the United States would never rest under a communist moon or be threatened by an unknown superweapon.

 

Weinberger’s book treks through 11 presidential administrations and numerous global conflicts, creatively tying together U.S. action in Vietnam, Laos, Korea, Iraq (round 1), Afghanistan, Iraq (round 2), and the War on Terror. While DARPA’s funding of new ideas and technologies is her primary focus (from rockets to chemicals to drones), the author manages to create an enjoyable history of U.S. “mission creep” around the world. In doing so, she provides a fresh perspective on how the United States became the world’s last remaining military superpower. In most cases the professionals at DARPA aspired to limit U.S. military action through the development and implementation of new technologies. Too often the opposite occurred.

 

This is not revisionist history of U.S. foreign policy since the end of the Second World War. Weinberger does not seem intent on painting DARPA in a negative light, nor does she second guess every decision made by intelligence, military and political leaders since the 1940s. Rather, she attempts to show how a mix of unlimited funding, lax oversight, and unclear vision can be disastrous, especially in government. Unlike many partisan tomes on U.S. foreign policy that are geared toward an audience with a fixed opinion, "The Imagineers of War" provides an opportunity for you to “reimagine” your existing position. Weinberger allows you to appreciate the exceptional nature of U.S. aspiration, while showing that we often fall short of our ambition.

 

In his farewell address to the nation in 1961, Eisenhower warned about the need to balance peace and force. He recognized that the United States was in a unique and powerful position in the decade following the defeat of Germany and Japan. After reading this enlightening book, it is easy to see that Eisenhower fertilized the very problem he cautioned against. Sixty years later, the military-industrial complex is more powerful than ever. The United States is consistently the world’s largest arms dealer by a wide margin. True, we sell weapons to support our allies and defend our policies, a perfectly noble and acceptable act. But when is the idealism of our inspirational republic diluted by the profit motive of private industry? Keep in mind that the same drone technology that tracks terror suspects in Afghanistan is used to eavesdrop on Americans at home. Has mission creep come back to bite us?

 

Unless you have time to spend hours in the stacks at your local bookstore, it is hard to find a book that provides an original perspective on the history and impact of U.S. influence in the world. Even more challenging is finding one that covers decades of detail while being enjoyable to read.  With "The Imagineers of War", Weinberger manages to satisfy both goals through an engaging and thought-provoking history. But approach this book with an open mind. Otherwise, you will miss a great opportunity to imagine the world from a different perspective.