Aprimeronnuclearweapons,fromthescienceoffissionandfusiontothepursuitofmutualassureddestruction,theSALTtreaties,andtheBombinpopculture.Althoughtheworld’sattentionhasshiftedtodrone-controlledbombingandcyberwarfare,thethreatofnuclearwarstillexists.Therearenowfourteenthousandnuclearweaponsinthehandsoftheninedeclarednuclearpowers.EventhoughtheworldsurvivedtheColdWar,weneedtounderstandwhatitmeanstolivewithnuclearweapons.InthisvolumeintheMITPressEssentialKnowledgeseries,MarkWolvertonoffersaprimeronnuclearweapons,fromthescienceoffissionandfusiontothepursuitofmutualassureddestruction,theSALTandSTARTagreements,andtheBombinpopculture.Wolvertonexplainsthebasicscientificfacts,offershistoricalperspective,andprovidesanuancedviewoftheuniquepolitical,social,andmoraldilemmasposedbynuclearweapons.HedescribesthebirthoftheBombin1945anditsuseagainsttheJapanesecitiesofHiroshimaandNagasaki;explainshowanuclearbombworks;recountsepisodeswhentheworldcameclosetowagingnuclearwar,includingtheCubanmissilecrisisin1962;discussesnuclearpolicyandnucleartreaties;andtracestheinfluenceofsuchfilmsasOntheBeach,Dr.Strangelove,andTheDayAfter.
