Building the Bombs. A History of the Nuclear Weapons Complex. Second Edition

This book presents a clear overview of the government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories and plants that designed, produced, and tested all nuclear weapons for the United States. It traces the history of that nuclear weapons complex (NWC) from its origins in the Manhattan Project to its current status as the National Security Administration (NSA) of the Department of Energy. The readable text is enhanced with illustrations, charts, and interesting episodes. An epilogue provides the author's answers to common questions about the NWC. Appendices include the agreement between the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and the Department of Defense (DOD) on responsibilities for nuclear weapons (1953), The National Environmental Policy Act (1970), and a brief summary of nuclear weapons treaties from 1963 to 1997. The second edition includes the reorganization of the National Nuclear Security Administration in 2002 and the Senate's radification of the Moscow Treaty in 2003. There is also a new section on binding energy and mass defect. Read more