Henry A. Wallace's criticism of America's atomic monopoly, 1945-1948 / by Mayako Shimamoto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Shimamoto, Mayako, 1939- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wallace, Henry A. (Henry Agard), 1888-1965.

Wallace, Henry A.

Nuclear arms control.

History.

United States--Politics and government--1945-1953.

United States.

Politics and government.

United States--Military policy.

Military policy.

Nuclear arms control--United States--History--20th century.

Physical Description:

xi, 217 pages ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Newcastle upon Tyne : Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016.

Summary:

Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace was an earnest supporter of the Stimson Proposal, a disarmament proposal submitted to the Truman administration by then Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson immediately after World War II. This proposal suggested direct dialogue with the Soviets over control of the newly-released atomic energy used against Japan in August 1945. Wallace, who had nurtured a deep scientific knowledge in his early life, was trusted in his Vice Presidency (1941-1945) for his scientific skills by not only President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but also scientific administrator Vannevar Bush. Because of this, Wallace's postwar vision was similar to Stimson's Proposal and the views of atomic scientists, who believed that basic scientific knowledge could not be contained because science had no national boundaries. Why was Wallace so thoroughly neglected by incumbent President Harry S. Truman and his fellow policy-makers? Wallace's idea, basically encouraging a joint partnership with the Soviets, failed to find favor with Truman, his aides, and the American public. Their belief was that the US's secret of atomic bomb was a national asset. This book illustrates that Wallace's idea of international atomic controls though Soviet partnership - a position embraced by atomic scientists - could prevent a postwar nuclear proliferation. The failure of Wallace's concept of postwar world order, a product of rejection by President Truman, has revealed an ideological conflict between democracy and nuclear weaponry. Amazingly, Wallace daringly made this historic attempt and kept to his vision, a commitment which led to his alienation and eventual ousting from Truman's cabinet. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Earlier Studies and Position of this Study 4

Chapter 2 Henry Wallace Meets with the Atomic Scientists 25

Chapter 3 How Did Wallace Shape His World Order? 48

Chapter 4 Wallace's Vision of the Postwar Atomic Age 88

Chapter 5 A Challenge to the Cold War Warriors 118.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

1443899518

9781443899512

OCLC:

959330772

Publisher Number:

99970380777