The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces 1945-2000

by Steven J. Zaloga

Overview

The prevailing Western view of Russia’s Cold War strategic nuclear weapons policy is that it resulted from a two-part interplay between the leaders of the Communist Party and the military. Steven J. Zaloga has found that a third contributor—the Russian defense industry—also played a vital role.

Drawing from elusive Russian source material and interviews with many proud Russian and Ukrainian engineers, Zaloga presents a definitive account of Russia’s strategic forces, who built them, and why. The book is the first in English to refer to the weapons by their actual Soviet names, providing the bedrock for future works. Helpful appendices list U.S., NATO, and other designations, and the illustrations provide clear visual references.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781588344854
Publisher:	Smithsonian Institution Press
Publication date:	05/27/2014
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Steven Zaloga is a senior analyst for Teal Group Corp., an aerospace consulting firm. He also serves as an adjunct staff member with the Institute for Defense Analyses. He is the author of numerous books and articles on military technology and military history.

Table of Contents

	Preface	v
Chapter 1.	Revolution in Military Affairs: 1946-1953	1
Chapter 2.	Bomber vs. Missile: 1953-1959	22
Chapter 3.	Deploying the First Generation: 1960-1965	60
Chapter 4.	The Race for Parity: 1965-1973	101
Chapter 5.	Beyond Parity: 1973-1985	135
Chapter 6.	To the Brink of Collapse: 1985-1991	178
Chapter 7.	Soviet Becomes Russian: 1991-2000	215
Appendix 1.	Missile Technical Data	231
Appendix 2.	Soviet Strategic Forces, 1960-Present	241
Appendix 3.	Guide to Soviet and Western Designations	249
	Notes	257
	Index	293

Editorial Reviews

A voluminous writer on arms trading and technology, Zaloga explores the development of the Soviet Union and Russian strategic nuclear forces, focusing primarily on the offensive forces though looking at strategic defensive forces when necessary. The intercontinental ballistic missile being the most important element of the forces, it sits at the center of the study. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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