Red Cloud at Dawn
Author | : Michael D. Gordin |
Publisher | : Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Total Pages | : 416 |
Release | : 2009-09-29 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781429942416 |
ISBN-13 | : 142994241X |
Rating | : 4/5 (16 Downloads) |
Download or read book Red Cloud at Dawn written by Michael D. Gordin and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On August 29, 1949, the first Soviet test bomb, dubbed First Lightning, exploded in the deserts of Kazakhstan. The startling event was not simply a technical experiment that confirmed the ability of the Soviet Union to build nuclear bombs during a period when the United States held a steadfast monopoly; it was also an international event that marked the beginning of an arms race that would ultimately lead to nuclear proliferation beyond the two superpowers. Following a trail of espionage, secrecy, deception, political brinksmanship, and technical innovation, Michael D. Gordin challenges conventional technology-centered nuclear histories by looking at the prominent roles that atomic intelligence and other forms of information play in the uncertainties of nuclear arms development and political decision-making. With the use of newly opened archives, Red Cloud at Dawn focuses on the extraordinary story of First Lightning to provide a fresh understanding of the origins of the nuclear arms race, as well as the all-too-urgent problem of proliferation.