A titanic mushroom cloud rose from the desert floor, a boiling mass of dust and gas. Seconds later came the bang, and then the steady roar of the atmosphere being displaced by a heat It was a silent flash, the light moving so much faster than the shock wave that followed it. At the appointed time a brilliant flash lit up the sky, a flash brighter than a thousand suns, a flash that penetrated the thick welders’ goggles worn by the observers, making them wince. There was nervous conversation: What if it didn’t work? What if it did? So much had been invested in this one event, precious resources in a time of war, all based on a promise, a theory-and, some might say, scientific arrogance. The rest paced back and forth, smoked, and anxiously watched the clock. In the predawn darkness, men gathered in a makeshift desert camp, the lucky ones busying themselves with dials and gauges, cables and checklists. Introduction Why Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-first Century? Therefore, in the interests of fairness and security, I have chosen to exclude notes and references from this book. My access to classified information could, by itself, inadvertently lend credibility to any cited source.
Security regulations prohibit me from commenting on or even referring to any publication that has received a “no comment” ruling from the United States government. I regret that I am unable to provide a reference list to direct the interested reader to more detailed information on nuclear weapons and their history. Special thanks go to my wife, Mari, for her support and critical reading of the manuscript. My editors at Ecco, Emily Takoudes and Greg Mortimer, and my agents, Don Lamm and Christy Fletcher, provided sage advice throughout this project. I would like to recognize admirals Richard Mies and James Ellis, both former commanders of United States Strategic Command, for their leadership and vision in transforming strategic thinking. Mim John offered thoughtful comments on alternative views along with many specific suggestions for improvement. Kathy Vinson, of the Defense Visual Information Center, was very helpful in locating images of missiles, aircraft, and submarines. Hanaa Benhalim of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency provided invaluable assistance in locating photographs of U.S. It is a pleasure to acknowledge many helpful conversations with James Mercer-Smith and David Sharp, both of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Test launch, Minuteman III: Defense Visual Information Center Subcritical experiment: National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office Pantex facility: National Nuclear Security Administration National Ignition Facility: National Nuclear Security Administration
weapons production map: Author’s collection Phases of missile flight: Author’s collectionĭefense system installation: Defense Visual Information Center Truck and nuclear detectors: National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office Nuclear test emplacement: National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office Glove box: National Nuclear Security Administration Nonproliferation articles: Author’s collectionīank of centrifuges: U.S. Minuteman III control panel: Defense Visual Information Center Trident D5: Defense Visual Information Center Technicians at Malstrom AFB: Defense Threat Reduction Agencyīallistic missile submarine: Defense Visual Information Center The B2 stealth: Defense Threat Reduction Agency The B52: Defense Visual Information Center Weapon schematic: National Nuclear Security Administrationī61-11 falling from a B2: National Nuclear Security AdministrationĪuthor with W78 warhead: Author’s collectionĪir-launched cruise missile: Defense Visual Information Center Robert Oppenheimer: Defense Threat Reduction AgencyĮdward Teller: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Nuclear Security AdministrationĪt the Russian Los Alamos: Author’s collection Little Boy: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Implosion design: National Nuclear Security Administration
Gun-assembled scheme: National Nuclear Security Administration Nagasaki remains: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Mushroom cloud: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Younger Credits Cover Copyright About the Publisher Introduction: Why Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-first Century? A Short History of Nuclear Weapons How Did We Arrive at the Theory of Mutually Assured Destruction? Current Nuclear Arsenals Targets and Targeting Replacing Nuclear Weapons with Advanced Conventional Weapons Nuclear Proliferation Defense Against Nuclear Attack Maintaining Our Nuclear Forces The Role of Nuclear Weapons in the Twenty-first Century Index About t he Au thor Ot he r Books by St e phe n M.