Soldiers of Reason

More about the book

The book explores RAND's pivotal role in shaping America's nuclear strategy and military policies from the Cold War to the Iraq War, highlighting key figures like Albert Wohlstetter and Paul Wolfowitz. It examines how RAND's theories of rational warfare influenced U.S. actions in Vietnam and beyond, while also introducing rational choice theory, which interprets human behavior through self-interest. This model not only transformed social and economic systems during the Reagan era but also inadvertently revived forces such as religion and tribalism, challenging its foundational assumptions.