Blundering into disaster: Surviving the first century of the nuclear age
In this book, Robert McNamara has made a chart of the nuclear age, laying bare the elaborate mythology that has enabled Americans to demonize the Soviet people and the Soviet military establishment. The former defense secretary emphasizes that the position in which the United States now finds itself - as hostage to its own nuclear policy - evolved from piecemeal decision-making rather than by careful plan. The strategy for the defense of the United States and of Western Europe rests on a single mistaken premise, says McNamara, that nuclear weapons can be used for traditional military purposes - that is, to secure victory against an enemy. McNamara somewhat sadly dismisses Gorbachev's proposal to eliminate all nuclear weapons as infeasible because of the possibility of cheating, and because crisis stability would be better served by a minimal deterrent.
- OSTI ID:
- 6483265
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ARMS CONTROL
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
MILITARY STRATEGY
USA
USSR
DECISION MAKING
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE
PLANNING
PROPOSALS
WESTERN EUROPE
ASIA
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
NORTH AMERICA
WEAPONS
350100* - Arms Control- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation- (1987-)
290200 - Energy Planning & Policy- Economics & Sociology