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Victory on the Potomac: The Goldwater-Nichols Act Unifies the Pentagon (Texas A & M University Military History Series) Hardcover – June, 2002

by James R. Locher (Author), Sam Nunn (Foreword)

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War is waged not only on battlefields. In the mid-1980s a high-stakes struggle to redesign the relationships among the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the secretary of defense, and the president resulted in the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. Author James R. Locher III played a key role in the congressional effort to repair a dysfunctional military whose inter-service squabbling had cost American tax-payers billions of dollars and put the lives of thousands of servicemen and women at risk. Victory on this front helped make possible the military successes the United States has enjoyed since the passage of the bill and helped to prepare the armed forces for the challenges they must still face. Victory on the Potomac provides the first detailed history of how Congress unified the Joint Chiefs and does so with the benefit of an insider's view. In a fast-paced account that reads like a novel, Locher follows the bill through congressional committee to final passage, making clear that the process is neither abstract nor automatic. His vivid descriptions bring to life the amazing cast of this real-life drama, from the straight-shooting chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, Barry Goldwater, to the peevishly stubborn secretary of defense, Casper Weinberger. Locher's analysis of political maneuvering and bureaucratic infighting will fascinate anyone who has an interest in how government works, and his understanding of the stakes in military reorganization will make clear why this legislative victory meant so much to American military capability.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . provides superb insight into how the system works in the marble, stone, and cement battlefields of Washington . . ." -- Proceedings

About the Author

JAMES R. LOCHER III is a graduate of West Point and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. During the period covered by this book, he was a staff member for the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Since then, he has served as an assistant secretary of defense both in the first Bush and the Clinton administrations. Currently, he works as a consultant and lecturer on defense matters in Springfield, Virginia.

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Product Details

Series: Texas A & M University Military History Series (Book 79)
Hardcover: 524 pages
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press; 1st edition (June 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1585441872
ISBN-13: 978-1585441877
Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #605 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > National
- #786 in Books > History > Military > Strategy
- #4678 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Political Science

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Gripping and Insightful, "Victory" for Studying Policymaking

By Michael Bob Starr on January 12, 2003

Format: Hardcover

This is quite easily one of the best books I've ever read on the creation of public policy. Locher paints a full and colorful picture of the military reform efforts culminating in the Goldwater-Nichols Act. I never realized what a role the Beirut/Lebanon operations played in creating an atmosphere in which military reform began to be viewed as necessary, and I found both the strategy and actions used to push the legislation through the Senate Armed Services Committee in 1985-86 particularly fascinating. With regards to balancing personal insights and meticulous research, in my opinion "Victory on the Potomac" is unequalled, and I consider it one of the top prizes in my personal library. If your interests include public policy, successful reform attempts or the organization of the U.S. military, you will find this book to be an entertaining and informative treasure.

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Powerful study of Congress and the Pentagon

By Perry M. Smith on August 3, 2002

Format: Hardcover

Jim Locher tells the fascinating story of how Congress forced the Pentagon to undergo major reform in the mid-1980s. Locher, who was a major participant in the process, tells the inside story of the Goldwater-Nichols reforms and really takes the gloves off. Locher is a careful researcher and skillful writer who demonstrates vividly the courage of Senators Barry Goldwater and Sam Nunn, Congressman Bill Nichols, Admiral Bill Crowe and others. Locher highlights both the brilliance and the manipulative skills of Secretary of the Navy John Lehman in the debates and interactions between the Congress and the Pentagon. . My only criticism is that Locher is a bit too critical of Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger who did so much to build up the military during the early 1980s. Must reading for all who will work with or within the Pentagon or the Congress in the years ahead

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