In this Book

The Limits of Safety: Organizations, Accidents, and Nuclear Weapons

Book
Scott D. Sagan
2020
Published by: Princeton University Press
Series: Princeton Studies in International History and Politics
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summary

Environmental tragedies such as Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez remind us that catastrophic accidents are always possible in a world full of hazardous technologies. Yet, the apparently excellent safety record with nuclear weapons has led scholars, policy-makers, and the public alike to believe that nuclear arsenals can serve as a secure deterrent for the foreseeable future. In this provocative book, Scott Sagan challenges such optimism. Sagan's research into formerly classified archives penetrates the veil of safety that has surrounded U.S. nuclear weapons and reveals a hidden history of frightening "close calls" to disaster.

Table of Contents

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Cover

Title, Copyright, Dedication

pp. i-viii

Contents

pp. ix-x

List of Figures and Tables

pp. xi-xii

Acknowledgments

pp. xiii-xiv

List of Acronyms

pp. xv-xvii

Introduction: Expecting the Unexpected

pp. 3-10

1: The Origins of Accidents

pp. 11-52

2: Nuclear Weapons Safety during the Cuban Missile Crisis

pp. 53-116

3: Intelligence and Warning during the Cuban Missile Crisis

pp. 117-155

4: Redundancy and Reliability: The 1968 Thule Bomber Accident

pp. 156-203

5: Learning by Trial and Terror

pp. 204-249

6: The Limits of Safety

pp. 250-280

Index

pp. 281-288
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