Amchitka and the Bomb
Subtitle: Nuclear Testing in Alaska
Publisher: University of Washington Press
Published: November 2002
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 176
ISBN-13: 9780295982557
Subjects: Central government policies; Demonstrations & protest movements; Environmentalist, conservationist & Green organizations; Nuclear issues; Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000; History: American; Environmental aspects; United States - 20th Century; History; History - General History; Politics and government; Alaska; Military - Nuclear Warfare; Modern - 20th Century/Nuclear Age; United States - State & Local - General; Amchitka Island; United States; 1945-1989; Nuclear weapons; Testing
Description: "More than a quarter-century has now passed since the United States set off the last of three underground atomic blasts in the remote wilderness of the Aleutian islands, off the coast of Alaska. Cannikin, as this third test was called, exploded as planned on November 6, 1971, on Amchitka Island. The first test, Project Long Shot (1965), was designed to determine whether the blast's shock waves could be distinguished from earthquakes.

Milrow, the second test (1969), and Cannikin were part of the U.S. anti-ballistic missile development program.".

"Amchitka and the Bomb looks at how these nuclear explosions were planned and conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission, in spite of vehement protests by political and civilian groups.

In addition to demonstrating the feasibility of a new generation of weapons, the government defended the nuclear tests on Amchitka as providing U.S. presidents, and especially Richard Nixon, with negotiating power to force the Soviet Union to accept a satisfactory arms limitation agreement."--BOOK JACKET.