Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines history of those years and of the secrecy believed necessary to prevent the union of Communists and nuclear weapons. It explores forces that brought about the shift in US policy from near-absolute secrecy to international nuclear cooperation and commercial competition. The book outlines US legislative and international attempts to promote the use of nuclear power worldwide and reviews the growing interest in the United States for a private nuclear industry. It looks at cooperation between the government, private industry, and the military in building a nuclear arsenal and cost-effective nuclear reactors. The book discusses executive and legislative branch interest in arms control negotiations and treaties, paying particular attention to multilateral efforts to design and implement international sanctions and safeguards. It describes impact of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act and examines the continuing controversies about reprocessing, plutonium, safeguards, and nuclear energy in general.