Fred Kaplan, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War


In his new book, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War, Fred Kaplan takes us into the White House Situation Room, the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s “Tank” in the Pentagon, and the vast chambers of Strategic Command to bring us the untold stories—based on exclusive interviews and previously classified documents—of how America’s presidents and generals have thought about, threatened, broached, and just barely avoided nuclear war from the dawn of the atomic age until today.

Kaplan’s historical research and deep reporting will stand as the permanent record of politics. Discussing theories that have dominated nightmare scenarios from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kaplan presents the unthinkable in terms of mass destruction and demonstrates how the nuclear war reality will not go away, regardless of the dire consequences.

Join the International Security Program for a conversation with Fred Kaplan about his new book, The Bomb. Follow the conversation by following @NewAmericaISP.

Featuring Fred Kaplan, Author, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War, National-security columnist, Slate and Class of 2012 National Fellow. Moderated by Peter Bergen, Vice President, New America

Date:
February 21, 2020
Run time:
1:24:26
Location:
New America
Presented by:
ASU Center on the Future of War