Aurelie Basha i Novosejt is a Lecturer in American History at the University of Kent, Canterbury.
Advance praise: 'Basha's careful account of McNamara's Vietnam policies is a terrible indictment not just of the policies but of McNamara's moral failure in prizing loyalty over lives. How he defined his job dictated his failures. Recommended reading for all future defense secretaries.' Kori Schake, Deputy Director-General, The International Institute for Strategic Studies Advance praise: 'I didn't think there could be much more to say about Robert McNamara and the escalation of America's war in Vietnam, but Aurelie Basha i Novosejt has proven otherwise. In this boldly original book, she forces us to revisit basic assumptions about an important but enigmatic figure. By showing that economic concerns were paramount, by considering counterinsurgency from a different angle, and by emphasizing previously neglected institutional changes within the Pentagon, Basha is able to shed new light on the subject. But even more, by revealing that McNamara opposed the war at its very beginning, even as he was planning its expansion, Basha is able to reveal the ultimate price of loyalty.' Andrew Preston, University of Cambridge Advance praise: 'Basha's careful account of McNamara's Vietnam policies is a terrible indictment not just of the policies but of McNamara's moral failure in prizing loyalty over lives. How he defined his job dictated his failures. Recommended reading for all future defense secretaries.' Kori Schake, Deputy Director-General, The International Institute for Strategic Studies Advance praise: 'I didn't think there could be much more to say about Robert McNamara and the escalation of America's war in Vietnam, but Aurelie Basha i Novosejt has proven otherwise. In this boldly original book, she forces us to revisit basic assumptions about an important but enigmatic figure. By showing that economic concerns were paramount, by considering counterinsurgency from a different angle, and by emphasizing previously neglected institutional changes within the Pentagon, Basha is able to shed new light on the subject. But even more, by revealing that McNamara opposed the war at its very beginning, even as he was planning its expansion, Basha is able to reveal the ultimate price of loyalty.' Andrew Preston, University of Cambridge