The Bomb, A New History by Stephen M. Younger
Atomic Explosives Discussed by an Actual Bomb Designer
Aug 9, 2009
The Bomb by Stephen Younger contains no references. This is because security regulations prevent Younger from divulging any confirmable information about nuclear weapons. He knows a lot about them though, so perhaps he can be forgiven.
Recently retired from Los Alamos National laboratory after a career in nuclear weapons design and development, Younger is now a senior policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Institute for Scholars. Unlike most authors who have written about nuclear weapons, this one has actually been in charge of building and testing them.
A Brief History of the Bomb
No book titled The Bomb would be complete with out a retelling of the early work leading to an age where thousands of nuclear weapons exist on Earth. A historical perspective is important in understanding the current state of nuclear affairs, but it is not the focus of the book. Younger provides some insight into not only the American efforts, but also those of the other members of the nuclear club—Great Britain, Russia, France, China, North Korea, Pakistan, India and Israel. Not a lot is known (or more likely can be divulged) about some of these programs, so those get a minimal treatment.
The American Nuclear Arsenal
The author provides as much detailed information as possible, without revealing classified information, about the current status of nuclear warheads possessed by the United States. The differences between naval and air force systems and programs is explained, and the names and capabilities of individual devices and delivery systems are discussed. This kind of information is a bit out of the ordinary and makes interesting reading.
Nuclear Stewardship
Will a thirty year-old atomic bomb explode as designed? Since none of the major powers have carried out an actual detonation since 1992, no one really knows for sure. Other nuclear powers have chosen to remanufacture their weapons after a time (without increasing the total number of warheads), to make sure they work.
Most nuclear scientists in the United States don't believe remanufacturing is required. They think the reliability of the arsenal can be assured through computer simulation, testing of individual components, and through continuing research and experimentation. Younger doesn't necessarily agree with them.
The Future of Deterrence and Nuclear Preparedness
The basic theory of nuclear bomb construction is known. Actually building a bomb is something again. Younger is not overly worried about nuclear terrorism, and provides some reassurance that a devastating attack from a rogue nation or unaligned group is not imminent. Things are being done to keep that likelihood down.
Younger has clearly had a lot of time to think about and debate the utility and drawbacks of maintaining a nuclear arsenal in the post-cold war era. He has some informed thoughts about the best way for the United States to move forward.
The book finishes with a summary of four possible approaches to dealing with the nuclear "problem"—abolition of all weapons, maintenance of a minimum capability, maintenance of a maximum capability, and something in between the minimum and maximum approaches. The author explains which one he prefers, and makes a lot sense in the process.
References
Younger, Stephen M. The Bomb, A New History. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2009.
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