Project Plowshare: The Peaceful Use of Nuclear Explosives in Cold War America
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.36 (559 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0801451256 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 312 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-09-03 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Scott Kaufman is Professor of History and Co-Director of the Robert E. He is the author of several books, including Plans Unraveled: The Foreign Policy of the Carter Administration and The Pig War: The United States, Britain, and the Balance of Power in the Pacific Northwest, 1846–72.. McNair Center for Government and History at Francis Marion University
By the mid-1970s, Plowshare was, in the words of one government official, “dead as a doornail.” However, the thought of using the atom for peaceful purposes remains alive.. Skeptical politicians, domestic and international pressure to stop nuclear testing, and a lack of government funding severely restricted the program. Inspired by President Dwight D. Joined by like-minded government officials, scientists, and business leaders, champions of "peaceful nuclear explosions" maintained that they could create new elements and isotopes for general use, build storage facilities for water or fuel, mine ores, increase oil and natural gas production, generate heat for power production, and construct roads, harbors, and canals. By harnessing the power of the atom for nonmilitary purposes, Plowshare backers expected to protect American security, defend U.S. legitimacy and prestige, and ensure access to energy resources.Scott Kaufman&rsq
Summing Up: Highly recommended. Naval War College, author of Dropping the Torch: Jimmy Carter, the Olympic Boycott, and the Cold War "Historians already knew about Project Plowshare. Negative outcomes were replete; a gas-and-oil stimulation program attempted in New Mexico followed by a decade-long natural gas storage effort in Pennsylvania generated public concerns related to radioactive isotopes. The result is a book that, while sometimesoverly technical in detail, offers a well-structured critique ofthegovernment’sattempt to create an atomic utopiaand to generate the necessaryatomic utopianism."Jason Krupar, Technology and Cultu
"Excellent book" according to Jude200Excellent book Jude2004 I recommend this well-researched and well-written book to anyone who'd like to learn more about the AEC's efforts to find peaceful uses for nuclear energy. I found it especially interesting to read how Plowshare interacted with US efforts to develop test ban treaties.When you read about plans to create harbors in Alaska and build a new canal in Central America, we can all be grateful that those plans didn't come to fruition.This fascinating book gave me the . . I recommend this well-researched and well-written book to anyone who'd like to learn more about the AEC's efforts to find peaceful uses for nuclear energy. I found it especially interesting to read how Plowshare interacted with US efforts to develop test ban treaties.When you read about plans to create harbors in Alaska and build a new canal in Central America, we can all be grateful that those plans didn't come to fruition.This fascinating book gave me the