A comprehensive biographical work examining the complex legacy of former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara has been awarded the prestigious Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History. The New-York Historical Society announced on Monday that ‘McNamara at War’ by Philip and William Taubman received the $50,000 honor for its profound exploration of one of America’s most controversial political figures.
The biography meticulously traces McNamara’s remarkable trajectory from his post-World War II business leadership prominence to his tumultuous tenure as defense secretary during the Vietnam War. The work presents McNamara’s story through the lens of classical Greek tragedy, charting his journey from excellence (arete) through arrogance (hubris), reckless folly (ate), and ultimately punishment for his pride (nemesis).
McNamara, who served across two Democratic administrations for seven years as defense secretary, departed the Pentagon in February 1968 following announced resignation plans three months earlier. His exit came amid profound disagreements with President Lyndon Johnson and military leadership over Vietnam strategy, occurring simultaneously with the rapidly escalating anti-war movement across the nation.
The former defense secretary, who passed away in 2009, spent decades expressing profound regrets about the Vietnam conflict he once championed but ultimately deemed unwinnable. The Taubman brothers’ work provides fresh perspective on this deeply divisive period in American history through the prism of McNamara’s personal and professional transformation.
At an April ceremony, the authors will receive an engraved medal and the distinguished title of American Historian Laureate. They join an esteemed list of previous winners including Robert Caro’s ‘The Passage of Power,’ Ron Chernow’s ‘Washington: A Life,’ and Beverly Gage’s ‘G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century.’