Summary
When Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1867, he never could have predicted the unprecedented devastation that would occur as a result of his discovery. History suggests that the existence of a weapon leads to its eventual use in war, as illustrated by the dropping of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. At the opening of the atomic age, scientists, political analysts, generals, and politicians were haunted by the idea that nuclear wars could not be won; both sides would be virtually destroyed.
The stakes of the game have only continued to rise as the "club" of nations currently possessing nuclear arms has become less and less exclusive: the United States, the Soviet Union/Russia, England, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
Following a detailed analysis of this timely issue, Nuclear Nonproliferation explores the threat of nuclear production and the potential for solutions in four regions of the world—the United States, South Asia (India and Pakistan), the Middle East (Israel, Iraq, and Iran), and East Asia (North Korea). Tables, graphs, diagrams, and helpful primary source documents complete this comprehensive volume.
Specifications
Index. Bibliography. Glossary. Chronology. Tables. Graphs.
About the Author(s)
Phillip Margulies is a professional writer and editor. He has written more than a dozen books for young adults, including Strategic Defense Systems of the Future, Al Qaeda, and The Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism. He is also the book editor for a series of books on turning points in world history.
Foreword author Sharon Squassoni is a senior associate in the Nonproliferation Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She has been analyzing nonproliferation, arms control, and national security issues for two decades. Prior to joining Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Squassoni served at the Congressional Research Service, providing expert analyses and advice to members of the United States Congress and previously as director of Policy Coordination in the Nonproliferation Bureau. Squassoni has contributed to journals, magazines, and books on nuclear proliferation and defense. She is the recipient of various service awards and a MacArthur fellowship.