Nuclear weapons, the balance of terror, the quest for peace

This book offers a full and much-needed study from first principles of nuclear strategy and the balance of terror. It is intended for readers of all professions and persuasions, whether students of defence and politics, practitioners or laymen, supporters of nuclear deterrence or opponents, who believe that nuclear issues cannot be wished away or laid on one side but need to be addressed head-on, even if this means thinking about the unthinkable.

Carefully structured and presented, the book brings together familiar and less familiar insights about the balance of terror within a coherent system of thought. It addresses some of the most fundamental issues of our time: What is the balance of terror? How did it come to be? Is it necessary? How has it affected world politics? Will it keep the world at peace? Is it stable in an intrinsic and a dynamic sense? How real a threat is a first-strike advantage? What can arms-control agreements con tribute? What should the objectives of such agreements be? How might a nuclear conflict begin? What would be the chances of containing such a conflict once begun? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the balance of terror? Are there any alter natives to a balance of terror, such as general or nuclear disarmament, which would be both attainable and preferable? If not, what can be done to make a better balance of terror? What are the main threats to stability? What should the West's policies be? What role is there for the independent nuclear deterrents of smaller countries? And how have recent developments such as the American 'star-wars' programme and the nuclear-winter' hypothesis affected the answers to all these questions?
The notes and diagrams packed with factual information on matters such as the development of weapons systems, arms control agreements and the alliances, and the book is written in an approachable, non technical style.