Actions for General George C. Marshall and the atomic bomb

Email RIS file
Bookmark
Report an Issue

General George C. Marshall and the atomic bomb / Frank A. Settle Jr. ; foreword by Robert Norris ; afterword by Robert Strong

Author
Settle, Frank A.
Published
Santa Barbara, California : Praeger, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2016]
Physical Description
xv, 242 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Availability

Browse Nearby on Shelf
I Want It
I Want It

Finding items...

Contents
The beginnings -- The discovery of fission and Einstein's letter -- Marshall and the geneses of the Manhattan Project -- Organizing the Manhattan Project -- Intelligence operations -- Uncertainty, the bomb, and the Interim Committee -- Unconditional surrender and a planned invasion -- Potsdam and Trinity -- Japan's response to the Potsdam Declaration, Hiroshima and Nagasaki -- Japan surrenders -- A new age -- Marshall as a diplomat: secretary of state -- The final call to duty: secretary of defense.
Summary
Beyond being the most powerful weapon ever used in warfare, the atomic bomb is also unparalleled in its significance, both in terms of its long-term impact on U.S. military power and policy and its role in driving the four decades of threatened conflict known as the Cold War. General George C. Marshall's influence was critical in the development and use of the atomic bomb in World War II as well as in issues involving nuclear weapons in the post World War II period. This book tells the story of Marshall's experience with the atomic bomb from his early skepticism of its effectiveness as a weapon, to his oversight of its development and deployment against Japan in World War II, to his recognition of the bomb as a weapon of such dire consequence that it should never be used again. Intended for a general audience as well as scholars, this book presents a cohesive account of General Marshall's involvement with nuclear weapons and atomic power as Army chief of staff during World War Ii and as secretary of state and secretary of defense in the early years of the Cold War. Marshall's involvement with the use of nuclear weapons is set in the context of the Allies' efforts to force Japan to surrender and the initiation of the Cold War. Readers will gain insight into Marshall's quest for obtaining a Japanese surrender; his views on the use of the atomic bomb on Japan versus the use of conventional weapons, including fire bombing or poison gas; his interactions with Roosevelt and Truman on nuclear issues; and his diplomatic skillfulness in dealing with the issues surrounding the control and use of nuclear weapons as secretary of state and secretary of defense in the post-World War II era. These included consideration of the use of the atomic bomb during the Berlin crisis and the Korean war. -- Inside jacket flap.
Subject(s)
Genre(s)
ISBN
9781440842849 (alk. paper)
1440842841 (alk. paper)
Bibliography Note
Includes bibliographical references (201-230) and index.
Source of Acquisition
Purchased with funds from the Elizabeth Epp Taft Library Endowment; 2016
View MARC record | catkey: 19170036