Joseph M. Siracusa is Professor in Human Security and International Diplomacy at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia, and President of Australia's Council for the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. A veteran historian, he is known internationally for his writings on the history of nuclear weapons, diplomacy, and global security. He is the author of numerous books, including Diplomacy: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2010) and A Global History of the Nuclear Arms Race (Praeger, 2013).

• Preface


• List of illustrations


• 1: What are nuclear weapons?


• 2: Building the bomb


• 3: A choice between the quick and the dead


• 4: Race for the H-bomb


• 5: Nuclear deterrence and arms control


• 6: Star Wars and beyond


• 7: Post-Cold War era


• References and further reading


• Index

Nuclear Weapons are the most deadly weapon ever invented. This Very Short Introduction discusses the history and politics of nuclear weapons since their development in the 1940s. It describes the successes and failures of treaties that have aimed for their control and reduction, and their impact on international relations today.