Stephen Twigge European Studies Research Institute University of Salford, England and Len Scott University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales

(This book) is both a fascinating and frightening history of how many good and able people struggled with exceptional risk and the most demanding and highly complex intellectual and practical issues to prevent Armageddon. How close was it?'At long last Twigge and Scott have taken a major step towards meeting the requirement for a comprehensive history and analysis of British nuclear weapons operations in the Cold War era...Using rigorous scholarship, access to recently released documents, and interviews with some of those involved in the key decisions, Twigge and Scott have put together a richly textured and detailed study of Britain's early attempts to manage and operate its nuclear weapons.'

• 1. Introduction 2. The Atomic Bomb and the Command and Control of Western Nuclear Forces 1945-1953 3. National Control 1953-1964 4. Bilateral Control 1953-1964 5. Alliance Control 1953-1964 6. Defence Communications 1945-1964 7. Atomic Intelligence: Operations and Estimates 1945-1964 8. Tactical Early Warning Intelligence 1945-1964 9. Conclusion