When Presidents Fight the Last War

Many still see the Vietnam War catastrophe as the ultimate cautionary tale for US presidents faced with wartime decisions. A singular focus on Vietnam, however, overlooks the seismic shift in strategy following attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. When Presidents Fight the Last War: The Oval Office, Sunk Costs, and Wartime Decision-Making since Vietnam is a groundbreaking work that draws on high-level interviews and archival materials to show how recent presidential decisions to cut losses or double down on military conflicts abroad have been made with the goal of avoiding either another Vietnam or another 9/11.

Offering five case studies, author Bryan N. Groves examines presidencies from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama and explains how commanders in chief have chosen to escalate or de-escalate major conflicts based on what they stood to gain—or, more importantly, lose—in the process. As Groves reveals, in spite of the different contexts, policies, and priorities that defined these administrations, all shared a remarkably similar approach to war adjustments.

When Presidents Fight the Last War provides a unique look inside the Oval Office throughout a half century of inflection points while offering vital insights and predictive tools to handle future sunk cost scenarios.