This work investigates how the Reagan administration formulated and implemented its defense strategy amidst the heightened geopolitical tensions of the 1980s. The authors, James D.J. Brown and William P. Snyder, utilize a combination of policy analysis and historical documentation to examine the shift toward increased military spending and the modernization of nuclear forces. They argue that the administration's approach was defined by a deliberate effort to restore American military superiority as a primary instrument of foreign policy.

Experts recognize this volume as a detailed examination of the administrative mechanics behind Reagan-era defense policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a resource for students of Cold War history and defense studies.