Known and Unknown: A Memoir
| Company type | Autobiography |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | February 2011 |
| Founder | Donald Rumsfeld |
| Products | Book |
Known and Unknown: A Memoir is the autobiographical work of Donald Rumsfeld, released by Penguin Group USA in February 2011. The book chronicles his extensive career, including his tenure in the United States House of Representatives during the late 1960s, his service within the Nixon and Ford administrations amid the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, and his role as Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush during the initial phase of the War on Terror.
Within the memoir, Rumsfeld confronts various contentious episodes from his public service, emphasizing his opposition to waterboarding and expressing remorse regarding the Abu Ghraib detainee abuse scandal. He recounts offering his resignation, which President Bush declined, acknowledging that not insisting on departing was a "misjudgment." Commercially, the book achieved the top position on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list and ranked third among e-book nonfiction titles in February 2011.
The critical response was varied: while City Journal commended Rumsfeld's justifications, other publications such as The Huffington Post and The Financial Times offered critiques. Andrew Bacevich characterized the memoir as "tendentious rather than instructive." Rumsfeld committed all proceeds from the book to veterans' organizations.
Background
In an "Author's Note" opening the memoir Known and Unknown, Rumsfeld explains that its title derives from his well-known remark during a February 12, 2002 press briefing:
According to Rumsfeld’s aide Keith Urbahn, the memoir traces Rumsfeld’s career trajectory from the time of Pearl Harbor through to post-9/11 developments, promising insights that challenge conventional historical interpretations.
At that moment, Rumsfeld’s comment addressed inquiries about Iraq’s purported provision of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups. Although some viewed it as evasive, this phrase has since become widely referenced in political discourse and decision-making research. Scholars Daase and Kessler (2007) highlight how awareness and ignorance influence political strategy, expanding on Rumsfeld’s concept by incorporating "what we do not like to know" as a significant element in political understanding.
Book contents
The cover image features Rumsfeld during a visit to Taos, which journalist Ben Smith interprets as symbolizing a degree of detachment from Washington’s political scene. The narrative opens with Rumsfeld recalling a 1983 encounter with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, noting Hussein’s perception that France was sympathetic to Iraq’s position. He describes Hussein as "rather reasonable" but suspected surveillance after Hussein echoed a phrase Rumsfeld had previously used.
Rumsfeld outlines his upbringing near Chicago with a father who was a former military officer turned real estate professional. He became an Eagle Scout, participated in high school wrestling, and joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps before attending college. Following graduation, he served as a naval aviator and married his high school sweetheart.
Elected to Congress in 1962 at age 29, Rumsfeld supported key legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and voted for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. As the Vietnam conflict intensified, he grew critical of President Johnson’s draft policies and troop escalations, advocating instead for "Vietnamization" under Nixon’s leadership. He holds Congress responsible for South Vietnam's downfall, interpreting it as a retreat.
He shares anecdotes about forming a lasting friendship with entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., becoming an admirer of Elvis Presley, and receiving gratitude from Presley backstage for U.S. military personnel. Additionally, Rumsfeld recounts a four-decade professional relationship with Dick Cheney, whom he recruited into President Gerald Ford’s administration; both shared Ivy League educations and experience as corporate CEOs.
Serving as President Ronald Reagan's envoy to the Middle East during the U.S. withdrawal from Lebanon shaped Rumsfeld’s conviction that perceived American weakness invites aggression. He advocates for a proactive or "forward-leaning" approach in U.S. foreign policy.
He critiques Secretary of State Colin Powell for endorsing President George H. W. Bush’s choice not to remove Saddam Hussein following the 1991 Gulf War, stating his own opposing viewpoint. Rumsfeld portrays Powell as more representative of State Department perspectives than an influential policy maker.
Rumsfeld recalls maintaining distance from George H.W. Bush during prior administrations but developing a close rapport with George W. Bush, whom he characterizes as approachable and informal compared to his father.
He describes initiatives to reform the Defense Department by shifting priorities away from expensive legacy weapons systems toward lighter, more agile forces. This included contentious decisions such as terminating the $11 billion Crusader artillery program.
On September 11, 2001, Rumsfeld was present at the Pentagon during the attacks and remained at his post amid chaos, noting that ongoing renovations had inadvertently saved many lives.
He candidly discusses his son Nick’s battle with drug addiction and recounts an emotionally charged Oval Office meeting with President Bush shortly after 9/11, highlighting Bush’s empathy during personal trials.
Rumsfeld details how President Bush ordered a review of Iraq war strategies just fifteen days after 9/11 while acknowledging Defense Department commitments elsewhere. He mentions Saddam Hussein placing a $60 million bounty on Bush’s family and himself and notes that photos of Bush’s daughters were discovered in Uday Hussein’s palace.
He expresses opposition to waterboarding during interrogations and regrets the Abu Ghraib detainee abuse scandal deeply, calling it among his greatest personal regrets. Though he offered to resign following the controversy, President Bush declined; Rumsfeld admits remaining was an error in judgment.
Defending Guantanamo Bay detention policies, he asserts he would close the facility if an equally effective alternative were available but states no such option was presented.
Regarding Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD), he maintains that neither Powell nor Bush intentionally misled but concedes they were mistaken about existing stockpiles.
While lamenting that no substantial WMD caches were found, he defends the invasion as preventing greater regional threats and averting another attack similar to 9/11, asserting Saddam maintained connections with al-Qaeda and operated an active WMD program in northern Iraq.
Rumsfeld commends President Bush’s military response to Hurricane Katrina as swifter than previous disaster interventions.
Although initially hesitant about increasing troop levels in Iraq in 2007, he ultimately supported General David Petraeus's appointment before leaving office, noting earlier generals had advised against surges.
He voices skepticism regarding expanded U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, cautioning that additional troops might intensify local hostility and increase vulnerability to enemy attacks.
The memoir concludes by observing that President Barack Obama retained several contentious policies from the Bush era, including Guantanamo detention practices and overseas drone strikes.
Reviews
Military analyst Victor Davis Hanson commended Rumsfeld's openness and portrayal of the Bush administration years in City Journal, though he questioned Rumsfeld's unwillingness to alter tactics following 2003 as the Iraqi insurgency intensified. Hanson remarked that with the release of Known and Unknown, detractors are now challenged to disprove Rumsfeld’s narrative.
In an article for The Observer, journalist Justin Webb criticized Rumsfeld for ignoring critical issues such as wrongful detentions at Guantánamo, concluding that the memoir lacked the necessary perspective and impartiality to correspond with Rumsfeld’s accomplishments.
The Economist characterized the memoir as "an engaging historical account" and "an enjoyable read," while also pointing out Rumsfeld’s predictable avoidance of self-criticism, frequently attributing blame to others for the challenges faced in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Marcus Baram, writing in The Huffington Post, noted that Rumsfeld assigned fault to almost everyone but himself and concluded on a "self-congratulatory" tone, notably excluding any reference to Pat Tillman, whose death by friendly fire was concealed by the Pentagon.
Author and historian Andrew Bacevich delivered a harsh critique in The Financial Times, describing the book as biased rather than enlightening, and expressing disappointment that Rumsfeld devoted over 800 pages to evading meaningful introspection on the events he was involved in.
Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of staff to British Prime Minister Tony Blair during Rumsfeld’s tenure, dismissed the memoir in The New Statesman. He compared Rumsfeld to a reactionary Bourbon king, highlighting the absence of significant revelations and criticizing his "unwavering insistence on always being right," concluding that Rumsfeld had "learned nothing and forgotten nothing."
See also
- Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
- Baghdad Central Prison
- Electoral history of Donald Rumsfeld
- Gerald Ford
- George H. W. Bush
- George W. Bush
- Guantanamo Bay detention camp
- Hamdan v. Rumsfeld
- Iraq War
- List of autobiographies
- National Security Strategy (United States)
- Overseas interventions of the United States
- 'There are known knowns'
- The Unknown Known
- United States Secretary of Defense
Related memoirs
- A Journey by Tony Blair
- At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA by George Tenet
- Decision Points by George W. Bush
- In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir by Dick Cheney
- Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush
External links
- 2011 non-fiction books
- American memoirs
- American political books
- Political memoirs
- Books about George W. Bush
- Books about the 2003 invasion of Iraq
- Books about the September 11 attacks
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) books
- Books critical of modern liberalism in the United States
- Books on anti-terrorism policy of the United States
- Current affairs books
- Donald Rumsfeld