Former National Security Advisor and retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster visited campus as a part of his ongoing speaking and book tour for his new book: At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House, arriving on shelves later this month. In his talk, McMaster discussed what it means to be “at war with ourselves,” illuminating the divisive impact of conflict inside the United States’ highest offices of power as well as the perceived and real conflict amongst its citizens.

Hosted by the War, Diplomacy, and Society Program, McMaster offered students, faculty, and staff a frank assessment of the challenging task of maintaining one’s bearings and focus in the fast-paced White House environment. McMaster discussed his role  as National Security Advisor, and offered his insights into historic and modern conflicts: all while emphasizing the relevance of history in his decision-making process. McMaster holds a PhD in History from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. His first book, Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam (1997) is considered a classic study of flawed decision making during the Vietnam War.

“General McMaster clearly talked about his new book, At War With Ourselves, giving the students both the vision of a historian and also a policymaker. The large group of students engaged him with erudite and insightful questions and noted how much they enjoyed the opportunity to meet such a giant of a man,” said Dr. Kyle Longley (History). 

In speaking on his most recent tenure as National Security Advisor with the Trump administration, McMaster shared his onboarding experience as swift and immediate: “Grabbing a yellow legal pad and starting to write” as he boarded a plane for Washington, D.C.

What does one write for the President of the United States as National Security Advisor? “Options,” McMaster shared. He framed his responsibilities as “always [to] give the President multiple options.”

McMaster told the audience it was his “perspective of a historian” that allowed him to research, analyze, and present his findings; and, that his education in researching and writing history brought the “biggest value [to his] preparedness.”

Shifting to his own insights into historic and modern conflicts, one key takeaway from his education as a historian was what McMaster framed as “strategic empathy.” McMaster explained: “We (meaning the US when making strategic decisions) do not often take the time to understand the emotions or aspirations of the other,” said McMaster, and shared his thoughts on how this framing developed his thoughts and opinions on conflicts across history, from Vietnam to today’s conflict between Hamas and Israel.

The Master of Arts Program in War, Diplomacy, and Society educates graduate-level students by rigorously examining the social, cultural, political and moral aspects of how societies go to war, experience war, and deal with war’s consequences. For more information about the MA program, or the integrated BA/MA program, contact Graduate Programs Coordinator David Krausman at krausman@chapman.edu.