On August 6 and August 9, 1945, the world became aware of the destructiveness of nuclear energy when the U.S. Army Air Corps dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even before the bombs were detonated, though, President Harry Truman had directed his thoughts toward non-military uses of the atom, recognizing that the atomic bomb had given man a new understanding of the forces of nature. This book examines the history and development of nuclear power from the perspective of the U.S. Army's nuclear power program, telling its story from the creation of the Office of Research and Development through the program's days of growth,and on to its eventual decline. This history examines the development of the United States Army's nuclear power program from its inception, through the development and operation of six small nuclear power plants throughout the Western Hemisphere, to its evolution into a military support agency. The Manhattan Project District Engineer, General Kenneth Nichols, who generated the idea for the program, worked for the development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. From the initial plans to develop nuclear power plants at remote bases, the book traces the path the Army took in getting its proposals approved by the Atomic Energy Commission, formally organizing the nuclear program, and building a prototype of a nuclear power plant. Separate chapters are devoted to Fort Greely, the nuclear program at the height of its success and accomplishment, and its subsequent decline and transitional period. With its list of suggestions for further reading and a comprehensive index, this volume will be a valuable resource for courses in military history, energy issues, and the development of atomic power. It will also represent an important addition to college, university, and public libraries.

The role of the military in the development of atomic energy is examined in this study if the U.S. Army's nuclear power program. Beginning with the Army's proposals to produce nuclear power plants for remote bases, Suid traces the complete history of the program. The initial struggles with the AEC are fully detailed, as are the formal organization of the program, the building of a prototype nuclear plant, and the program's subsequent development and eventual decline.

About the Author
LAWRENCE H. SUID is a Washington-based military historian and independent writer. He is the author of Guts & Glory, Scenes of Conflict, and The History of Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.


Book Information
ISBN 9780313272264
Author Lawrence H. Suid
Format Hardback
Page Count 160
Imprint Praeger Publishers Inc
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Weight(grams) 425g