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Stanford Nuclear Age Series
The Advisors: Oppenheimer, Teller, and the Superbomb
First published in 1976, The Advisors is an absorbing look at the technical, strategic, and human aspects of the great debate that led to the decision to build the first hydrogen bomb, Based on the author's own participation in Project Superbomb, on interviews with other participants, and on declassified documents, this book explains the complete background to this major acceleration of the nuclear arms race. For this reissue, the author has written a new Preface and Epilogue. The reissue also includes a recently declassified essay by Hans A. Bethe discussing the history of the H-bomb project from his unique vantage point as Director of the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos. He has revised the essay specifically for inclusion in this book.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
218 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 5, 2017
Genuinely boring but truly informative. 3.5.
Published in 1976, this might be one of the few books (?) delved into the available details of the Soviet nuclear project (both A- and H- bomb) and offered a comparative examination between the American and Soviet program progress. A chronology of key tests is also carefully prepared, which is really helpful.
Scientists don't usually write fascinating books, but those professional insights of being an insider both in the field as well as the team is particularly valuable. The whole section evaluating the GAC report and discussing alternative world if the report was accepted by Truman is little beyond my comprehension (wish I had studied physics harder) though.
Bit surprised by the fact that George Kennan sided with Oppenheimer objecting to the rush program of developing the H-bomb, but rather in favor of making tactical and air defense nuclear weapons to avoid a nuclear arms race from happening.
Wonderful summary of the Oppenheimer case at the end. And an impressive Epilogue.
Published in 1976, this might be one of the few books (?) delved into the available details of the Soviet nuclear project (both A- and H- bomb) and offered a comparative examination between the American and Soviet program progress. A chronology of key tests is also carefully prepared, which is really helpful.
Scientists don't usually write fascinating books, but those professional insights of being an insider both in the field as well as the team is particularly valuable. The whole section evaluating the GAC report and discussing alternative world if the report was accepted by Truman is little beyond my comprehension (wish I had studied physics harder) though.
Bit surprised by the fact that George Kennan sided with Oppenheimer objecting to the rush program of developing the H-bomb, but rather in favor of making tactical and air defense nuclear weapons to avoid a nuclear arms race from happening.
Wonderful summary of the Oppenheimer case at the end. And an impressive Epilogue.
September 30, 2023
Very boring and way too detailed on the politics of nuclear policy; was not what I thought it would be; the only interesting parts were those about the actual nuclear tests which were few and far between
Want to read
November 16, 2009Amazon third party, 2009-11-16.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews