“Most of us think there’s nothing new to say about nuclear weapons. Yes, they’re horrible, possibly immoral, and definitely dangerous, but they feel necessary. If force is the final arbiter between nations, and nuclear bombs are the most powerful weapons, then we’re basically stuck with them. Aren’t we?
In this groundbreaking book, Ward Wilson delivers a resounding “No.” Blowing the lid off a stale debate, he demonstrates that much of what we believe about nuclear weapons is based on emotion and exaggeration. He argues that our current nuclear policy is shaped by five stubborn myths. Drawing on new facts and new historical research, Wilson shatters each and every one of these myths in a clear-eyed and refreshingly pragmatic way.
Ward Wilson is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He has spoken before governments and at think tanks and universities, including Stanford, Princeton, Georgetown, the Naval War College, and the United Nations.