Cardinal choices : presidential science advising from the atomic bomb to SDI / Gregg Herken.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Herken, Gregg, 1947-

Series:

Stanford nuclear age series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science and state--United States--History--20th century.

Science and state.

Science consultants--United States--History--20th century.

Science consultants.

Presidents--United States--Staff--History--20th century.

Presidents.

History.

United States.

Physical Description:

xv, 358 pages ; 23 cm.

Edition:

Revised and expanded edition.

Place of Publication:

Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, [2000]

Summary:

This book is a history of the complex relations between scientific advisors, primarily physicists, and U.S. presidents in their role as decision makers about nuclear weapons and military strategy. The story, unsurprisingly, is one of considerable tension between the "experts" and the politicians, as scientists seek to influence policy and presidents alternate between accepting their advice and resisting or even ignoring it. First published in 1992, the book has been brought up to date to include the experiences of science advisors to President Clinton. In addition, the texts of eleven crucial documents, from the Einstein-Szilard letter to President Roosevelt (1939) to the announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative by President Reagan (1983), have been added as appendixes.

Contents:

Part I Urgent Appeals, 1939-1952: The Advent of Nuclear Weapons

Chapter 1 "A Closely Knit Group of People" The Decision to Build the Atomic Bomb 3

Chapter 2 "No Acceptable Alternative" The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb 17

Chapter 3 "Necessarily an Evil Thing" The Debate over the H-Bomb 34

Chapter 4 "A Point of No Return" The Opportunity for a Nuclear "Standstill" 49

Part II Fragile Hopes, 1953-1960: The Impetus toward Arms Control

Chapter 5 "Racing toward Catastrophe" Atoms for Peace and War 69

Chapter 6 "An Age of Danger" From the Killian Report to Sputnik 82

Chapter 7 "A Vested Interest in This Field" The President's Science Advisory Committee and the Test Ban 101

Part III Guarded Futures, 1961-1988: The Perils and Promises of New Technology

Chapter 8 "Where a Fresh Start Is Badly Needed" Politics and Science in the Kennedy Administration 127

Chapter 9 "A Nation Cannot Be Built with Gadgets" Johnson, Hornig, and the Vietnam War 146

Chapter 10 "No Longer as Adviser but as Citizen" The Crisis of Science Advising under Nixon and Ford 165

Chapter 11 "We Want You to Know of Our Judgment" Science and Conflict in the Carter Administration 184

Chapter 12 "The President Doesn't Care about Wavelengths" The Reagan Revolution and the Origins of SDI 199

Conclusion: "Speaking the Truth to Power" The Future of Presidential Science Advising 217

A. Einstein-Szilard Letter to President Roosevelt (proposal to build an atomic bomb), August 2, 1939 229

B. Fermi-Rabi Letter to the AEC: "An Opinion on the Development of the 'Super'" (written to oppose the hydrogen bomb), October 30, 1949 231

C. The Golden Report: "Mobilization of Science for War" (report on the president's science adviser), December 18, 1950 233

D. The Disarmament Panel's Proposal for a Nuclear "Standstill": "The Timing of the Thermonuclear Test" (excerpts), Fall 1952 235

E. The Teapot Report on ICBMs: "Recommendations of the Committee on Strategic Missiles," February 10, 1954 239

F. Killian's Charter for PSAC, December 1957 241

G. Ruina-Gell-Mann Paper: "Ballistic Missile Defence and the Arms Race" (argument against the ABM), December 1965 243

H. Rathjens-Ruina Memorandum to Henry Kissinger: "A Moratorium on the Testing of Multiple Warheads" (proposal for a MIRV ban), June 2, 1969 247

I. Garwin Letter to President Carter (defense of a comprehensive test ban), August 15, 1978 250

J. The "Insert": President Reagan's Announcement of SDI, March 23, 1983 253

K. Members of SAC/ODM and PSAC, 1951-73 256.

Notes:

Originally published: New York : Oxford University Press, 1992.

"A Twentieth Century Fund book."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-350) and index.

ISBN:

0804739668

0804737703

OCLC:

43569424