Riassunto
Involved in many Cold War events, the author became a insider, a nuclear physicist looking right into the dragon’s mouth, at the very weapons that made things so chilling and nearly calamitous. This isn’t simply an historical narrative; it’s also an investigative journalist’s exposé of the institutional complex that nurtured a nuclear-arms race almost to our oblivion, while fostering inhuman consequences. Nurturing both sides of the Cold War were mindless military-industrial complexes. No one else has given an account of such intense and personal experience — as technical manager, observer, and activist — insider or outsider. This first-hand narrative chronicles the half-century nuclear crisis: nerve-wracking situations, one global instability to another — tracking the Cold War, its anxieties, controversies, and impact. All of us wittingly or unwittingly had a stake in the nuclear-arms race. My father was a soldier of fortune, a mercenary with a lifelong career serving in American and other armies. When World War II broke out, I was sent to military school, then college. After a bachelor’s degree in journalism, obligatory active-duty followed in the Atlantic amphibs: three years as a commissioned officer, partly during the Korean War, in the Reserves for 16 years, eventually the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Attending graduate school under the GI Bill, I became a PhD physicist, entering the esoteric domains of nuclear reactors and weapons — and later arms control and treaty verification. It didn’t take long working at a national laboratory to gain a conservative fear of atomic weapons. That gave me a seat at the table — literally lunch at cafeterias of nuclear laboratories, and at the most sensitive facilities of the former Soviet Union, as well as agencies and entities that functioned within the U.S. Gradually I gained access to most nuclear secrets, as well as decades of human inequities and governmental arrogance, unexpectedly becoming an expert in nuclear technology and weapons. In tracking Cold War history, skillful memoirs have been published by individuals who were decision makers, as well as assessments by professional historians. What distinguishes Cold War Brinkmanship is my first-hand role — knowledgeable insider, witness, participant — sometimes an activist and target of FBI investigation (documented under FOIA). Now, I’ve become an author and a knowledgeable source as the Trump presidency moves along. This personalized narrative tracks the Cold War, its anxieties, controversial issues, and impact. Whether you were a fellow citizen, part of the silent majority or vocal minority, or a conscientious bureaucrat — together we had a stake in the outcome of the frightful and expensive nuclear-arms race. Just a single conscientious mortal decision was (and still is) needed to activate the nuclear “football,” to incinerate and radiate. Standing by in every weaponized nuclear nation is someone awaiting the authorization for the chain of command to carry out orders of immense consequence. To hasten World War II’s end, such fateful decisions and consequential orders were carried out, destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Something similar, or much worse, almost happened during the Cold War Cuban missile crisis. Our children, their children, people around the world: None ought to suffer such traumatic and dangerous times. With pockets of famine, civil injustice, wars of liberation, suicidal ideologies, natural disasters, other global instabilities — who needs a return to Cold War brinkmanship? Decisionmakers, be cautious!Maybe these recollections will demonstrate how difficult it was to contain the nuclear-arms race as it grew more alarming, more expensive, and more consequential. This book is written not by a high-level bureaucrat, but by someone who became a very-well-informed and concerned citizen, anti-war leader, and civil-rights activist.
Informazioni sull'autore
Nuclear physicist at a government laboratory for 40 years; now writing on topics of public interest. Undergraduate degree in journalism. Served in U.S. Navy just before the Korean War armistice; retired from the Reserves as a Lieutenant Commander; altogether 25 years military training or active duty. Earned PhD in physics from Virginia Tech. Professional activities at Argonne National Laboratory, one of America’s nuclear nonmilitary peace labs. Technical work involved detection of radiation and nuclear fission. Over 40 years lab, field, and management in instrumentation, nuclear physics and engineering, reactor safety, radiation, experiments, arms control, and verification technology. Public-interest activities during the Cold War: participant and nuclear consultant in joint Non-Government Organization (NGO) projects with Soviet counterparts on arms-control treaty verification. Served on national council of Federation of American Scientists (FAS); cofounder of Concerned Argonne Scientists; member of activist organizations in the Chicago area. Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society for contributions to arms-control verification and public enlightenment on consequences of modern technology. Holder of more a dozen patents involving nuclear technology. Numerous technical and public-interest publications. As a citizen-scientist, focused on humanistic concerns, especially societal survivability and environmental health. These goals partially creditable to Argonne colleagues, especially members of its ground-breaking Chicago Chapter of the FAS. Had unique opportunities during the Cold War to visit relevant laboratory and government facilities in the United States and overseas, including the former Soviet Union, and to meet involved scientists and officials. Besides being a volunteer technical consultant to a joint American-Soviet NGO verification project, worked with European arms-control organizations and Soviet, Eastern European counterparts. Official role at Argonne in arms-control and verification technology led to work with the Defense Nuclear Agency, all the Energy Department nuclear-weapons labs, the Department of Defense, and other nuclear and defense laboratories. Born New York City, 1931; now retired. Still writing about professional and personal experiences regarding close involvement in the Cold War, the nuclear arms race, and contemporary events.
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