David Maxwell
The term “Solarium Project” has been used so frequently in recent years that its original purpose and power have been diluted. Today, it’s often invoked as a generic term for strategic brainstorming.
However, the roots of the original Project Solarium – initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 – represent something far more profound and disciplined. It was a process that provided the foundation for a coherent, enduring strategy that ultimately helped the United States win the Cold War. To address the complexities of today’s global challenges, we should return to the original intent and rigor of Project Solarium and institutionalize it as a standard process to support the President in developing a National Security Strategy.
This new Solarium Project would synchronize all elements of national power and provide continuity of strategy, ensuring the safeguarding of US interests over the long term. It should be the foundation for an America First National Security Strategy.
Eisenhower’s Vision
President Eisenhower’s original Solarium Project was more than just an exercise in strategic thinking. It was a disciplined process aimed at addressing a critical problem: how to contain the Soviet Union’s global ambitions. Eisenhower convened a select group of experts at the National War College in Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. Three teams comprised the project: academics, policymakers, and practitioners, each tasked with developing a distinct approach to countering the Soviet threat. This rigorous and collaborative effort culminated in the adoption of a coherent strategy that guided US policy throughout the Cold War.
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