Cold war weapons books history

Environmental change accelerated sharply during the cold war years, and so did environmentalism as both a popular movement and a scientific preoccupation. This book answers questions about nuclear war between nations and its impact. Five years after using the first atomic weapons to force the surrender of japan in world war ii, the united states military was preparing for a new era of nuclear warfare with its cold war. Yale historian john lewis gaddis wrote seminal books about the cold war, during the cold war.

The cold war is the term used to define the period between the end of world war ii in 1945 and the ultimate collapse of the soviet union and its satellite states in 1991. A new history by john lewis gaddis, the global cold war by odd arne westad, george f. New book presents a secret history of nuclear war planning. Founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Edmund beard, richard armacost and harold sapolski have all written classic books on the. The wartime alliance between the soviet union and the united states was a marriage of convenience.

Sep 07, 2018 history of the cold war in one take by history bombs the cold war was a vast, global conflict that lasted from 1945 1991 and had a significant impact on many regions of the world. Robert service, author of the end of the cold war, talks about the legacy of the cold war and the end of the soviet union. It is, instead, a collection of relatively short essays, mostly about weapons and weapons systems developed and used to arm the cold war military forces. As a practical matter, that is the only way that a military history of the cold war could be fit into one volume. History of the cold war in one take by history bombs the cold war was a vast, global conflict that lasted from 1945 1991 and had a significant impact on many regions of the world. Cold war, the open yet restricted rivalry that developed after world war ii between the united states and the soviet union and their respective allies. Nuclear weapons and the escalation of the cold war, 19451962. These books have been chosen for their authoritative content, their accessibility for students and their affordability. The book describes nikita khrushchevs rise from obscurity to lead the second most powerful nation in the world, until. Duncan whites new history of writers involvement in the cold war, a. Cold war 19451950, the start of the atomic age faqs.

And so the west, argues greg barnhisel, turned to their secret weapon. We discuss the nuclear bomb threat and the many shocking events that took place in countries and regions all over the world during the war. So called because it did not include direct military confrontation between soviet and u. Jan 27, 2020 new book presents a secret history of nuclear war planning in america in the bomb, journalist fred kaplan reveals how u. Pierre trudeau united nations, 26 may 1978 from 1963 to 1984, us nuclear warheads armed canadian weapons systems in both canada and west germany. This book tells the story of how cold war scientists could have easily. Illustrated throughout with photographs and diagrams, and supported by extensive transcriptions of original documents, canadian nuclear weapons will be of great value both to scholars and interested laypersons in its presentation of what has been a deeply hidden secret of canadian political and military history. Now that we think it is over, we have to make sense of what the cold war was, how it shaped us, and the uncertain new world that lies ahead. If it ever had become a hot war involving nuclear weapons, the initial devastation and ensuing ecological catastrophe would have wiped out human life on the planet. If it ever had become a hot war involving nuclear weapons, the initial devastation and ensuing ecological catastrophe would have wiped out. The british author of 24 books mostly on military history the united states and. As the name suggests, nuclear war is not something everyone will think is possible, but nuclear weapons exist, and no one can change that. Sean connery as james bond, a fictional character from cold war literature.

During world war ii, three countries decided to build the. Nuclear weapons and the escalation of the cold war, 1945. Influential author walter lippmann wrote many books, including cold war, which in 1947 aided in coining its name. The history of the cold war is the history of the world since 1945.

This period of time is referred to as the cold war. The enmity between the united states and russia, the largest of the fifteen republics that ultimately constituted the u. End of the cold war books listed in alphabetical order the books below provide insights to understanding the events that led to the escalation of the second cold war during the 1980s and thereafter to the end of the cold war. There are a number of good books on the history of ballistic missiles. Weapons also serve many other purposes in society including use in sports, collections for display, and historical displays and demonstrations. History of the cold war in one take history bombs youtube. A new history, gaddis discusses why the west won, and how it shaped the world. Cold war history is now magazine, podcasts, blog and books. History civil war there were many different weapons and technologies used during the civil war. A new history by john lewis gaddis, tinker, tailor, soldier. List of books and articles about cold war online research. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. The cold war was a uniquely dangerous period in human history. The cambridge history of the cold war edited by melvyn p.

The gun is a nonfiction book written by journalist c. In this provocative book, margaret peacock offers an original account of how soviet. Apr 05, 2017 end of the cold war books listed in alphabetical order the books below provide insights to understanding the events that led to the escalation of the second cold war during the 1980s and thereafter to the end of the cold war. The cold war was the first war in history that could have put an end to history. The protatgonists in the cold war were the west, led by the united states, and. In the west, civil defence programs prepared civilians for a potential nuclear attack, while nuclear weapons permeated popular culture. In remarkably fresh and spritely writing style, journalist martin walker explains how the united statesbecame the security state. From the outset, the cold war was inextricably linked with the development of the atomic bomb and its use as a military deterrent. These new technologies and weapons changed the future of war including the tactics used on the battlefield. A new history of the cold war yale historian john lewis gaddis wrote seminal books about the cold war, during the cold war.

It was waged on political, economic, and propaganda fronts and had only limited recourse to weapons. Some of them were used in a major war for the first time. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. This period is replete with stories of spies, agents and assassins, operating undercover and living double lives to infiltrate enemy governments or societies.

How the death of 6,000 sheep spurred the american debate. Paranoia about nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war was a distinguishing feature of cold war society. A new history by john lewis gaddis transports us to an earlier era. The untold story of the cold war arms race and its dangerous. Nuclear weapons are so central to the history of the cold war that it can be dificult to disentangle the two. The author, a distinguished historian, illuminates the struggle between the us and the soviet union, which lasted more than half a century. The legend of gus weiss, hero of the cold war, ends 11 stories below the balcony of his condo at the watergate complex in washington, dc, on november 25, 2003. Top 10 books on nuclear weapons best book recommendations. Ten histories of the cold war worth reading council on. Browse all books see all series this series focuses on new interpretations of the cold war era made possible by the collapse of the soviet bloc and the opening of soviet, east european, chinese, and other archives to scholars. Edmund beard, richard armacost and harold sapolski have all written classic books on the management of early ballistic missile programs. The cold war rivalry between the united states and the soviet union lasted for decades and resulted in anticommunist suspicions and international incidents that led. The first full account of how the cold war arms race finally came to a close, this riveting narrative history sheds new light on the people who struggled to end this era of massive overkill, and examines the legacy of the nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that remain a threat today.

A new history is a book that provides the reader with a comprehensive view of the cold war. As us leaders strain to manage americas current overseas dilemmas, the cold war. Another masterpiece by the author of on thermonuclear war. Minor nations get cold war weapons and history books. Nuclear weapons are so central to the history of the cold war that it can be difficult to disentangle the two. Sep 15, 2015 the cold war was a uniquely dangerous period in human history. During the cold war years, the distribution and selection of american. If the impact of nuclear war will be limited or not. We are thus not only the first country in the world with the capability to produce nuclear weapons that chose not to do so, we are also the first nuclear armed country to have chosen to divest itself of nuclear weapons. Baruch should be regarded as the originator of the term cold war within the meaning in which it became universally accepted. What is the only established defense against nuclear weapons. We should also ask how the cold war shaped the development of atomic energy. Vast ideological differences, large standing armies and nuclear weapons on.

A new history is an analysis of the events that took place during the cold war. Jun 18, 2018 founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Simple history visualizes the past, bringing history to life through animation. What is the only provocation that could bring about the use of nuclear weapons.

Select literature on us nuclear weapons policy and nuclear history. The cold war was a period of geopolitical tension between the soviet union and the united states and their respective allies, the eastern bloc and the western bloc, after world war ii. For more than forty years, the two superpowers, the united states and the soviet union directly threatened each other with nuclear weapons. The cold war resource guides national library board. Nuclear proliferation was also a concern, with several other nations developing nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons and the escalation of the cold war, 19451962, in odd arne westad and melvin leffler, eds. Top 10 books about the cold war books the guardian. The cold war rivalry between the united states and the soviet union lasted for decades and resulted in anticommunist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the. The protatgonists in the cold war were the west, led by the united states, and the eastern bloc, led by the soviet union. In this book, john lewis gaddis sets out to describe the major structural features of the cold war, identify their causes, provide a narrative overview of the cold war from its inception to the cuban missile crisis, and embed the cold war in the larger context of 20th century history. New book presents a secret history of nuclear war planning in america in the bomb, journalist fred kaplan reveals how u. Vast ideological differences, large standing armies and nuclear weapons on hair triggers meant the end of civilization was an ever. As technology has developed throughout history, weapons have changed with it.

This section explores the major events of this period including. The term cold is used because there was no largescale fighting directly between the two. Educational articles for teachers, students, and schools including the leaders of the cold war, battles and proxy wars, communism, major events, bay of pigs, cuban missile crisis, berlin wall, and countries involved in this nuclear stalemate. This selection of cold war books has been recommended by alpha history authors. Environmental histories of the cold war explores the links between the cold war and the global environment, ranging from the environmental impacts of nuclear weapons to the political repercussions of environmentalism. People have used weapons in warfare, hunting, selfdefense, law enforcement, and criminal activity. There are some more recent books that either recover this earlier ground or add to it. New book presents a secret history of nuclear war planning in america in the bomb. Duncan whites new history of writers involvement in the cold war, a big book full of grim case studies, is. The period is generally considered to span the 1947 truman doctrine to the 1991 dissolution of the soviet union. In a voluminous but thoroughly engaging 545 pages, aleksandr fursenko and timothy naftali make a detailed study of the cold wars most enigmatic leader in khrushchevs cold war. Books published in the new cold war history series by the university of north carolina press. Our cold war history series looks at the great battle between the usa and ussr over more than four decades.