Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide
Whether one is interested in learning about anthrax, sarin, the neutron bomb—or any other weapon of mass destruction—this thorough and detailed reference is the place to find answers.

The threat posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD), whether nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological, is the number-one topic of concern for the intelligence community, first responders, policymakers, and myriad non-governmental organizations—and many members of the general public. This authoritative reference will serve all of those parties by covering the full spectrum of mass-casualty weapons. The guide will not only enable people to educate themselves, but also to separate the truth from the spurious information that abounds.

The book offers an A-to-Z listing of major topics, making finding information about concepts, scientific theories, and realities of WMD fast and easy. While the framework of WMD goes back centuries, the major focus of this reference is on weapons that date from the use of chemical warfare in World War I. The book also covers WMD from the early nuclear era (World War II), the Cold War, and the present (Syria, North Korea, etc.). Each entry is written in a clear, accessible style and includes crucial background information, making this book an essential resource for both lay readers and specialists. Armed with this portable database, readers will have the confidence to deal with, discuss, or write about WMD of all kinds based on an understanding of relevant concepts, policies, and scientific fundamentals.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide
Whether one is interested in learning about anthrax, sarin, the neutron bomb—or any other weapon of mass destruction—this thorough and detailed reference is the place to find answers.

The threat posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD), whether nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological, is the number-one topic of concern for the intelligence community, first responders, policymakers, and myriad non-governmental organizations—and many members of the general public. This authoritative reference will serve all of those parties by covering the full spectrum of mass-casualty weapons. The guide will not only enable people to educate themselves, but also to separate the truth from the spurious information that abounds.

The book offers an A-to-Z listing of major topics, making finding information about concepts, scientific theories, and realities of WMD fast and easy. While the framework of WMD goes back centuries, the major focus of this reference is on weapons that date from the use of chemical warfare in World War I. The book also covers WMD from the early nuclear era (World War II), the Cold War, and the present (Syria, North Korea, etc.). Each entry is written in a clear, accessible style and includes crucial background information, making this book an essential resource for both lay readers and specialists. Armed with this portable database, readers will have the confidence to deal with, discuss, or write about WMD of all kinds based on an understanding of relevant concepts, policies, and scientific fundamentals.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide

Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide

Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide

Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Essential Reference Guide

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Overview

Whether one is interested in learning about anthrax, sarin, the neutron bomb—or any other weapon of mass destruction—this thorough and detailed reference is the place to find answers.

The threat posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD), whether nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological, is the number-one topic of concern for the intelligence community, first responders, policymakers, and myriad non-governmental organizations—and many members of the general public. This authoritative reference will serve all of those parties by covering the full spectrum of mass-casualty weapons. The guide will not only enable people to educate themselves, but also to separate the truth from the spurious information that abounds.

The book offers an A-to-Z listing of major topics, making finding information about concepts, scientific theories, and realities of WMD fast and easy. While the framework of WMD goes back centuries, the major focus of this reference is on weapons that date from the use of chemical warfare in World War I. The book also covers WMD from the early nuclear era (World War II), the Cold War, and the present (Syria, North Korea, etc.). Each entry is written in a clear, accessible style and includes crucial background information, making this book an essential resource for both lay readers and specialists. Armed with this portable database, readers will have the confidence to deal with, discuss, or write about WMD of all kinds based on an understanding of relevant concepts, policies, and scientific fundamentals.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781440855740
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date: 10/12/2018
Pages: 392
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Eric A. Croddy specializes in weapons of mass destruction with a focus on chemical and biological warfare.

Jeffrey A. Larsen,PhD, is president of Larsen Consulting Group.

James J. Wirtz,PhD, is professor and Dean of the School of International Graduate Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introductory Essays: Chemical and Biological Warfare as Weapons of Mass Destruction: A U.S. Perspective xiii

Nuclear Weapons xxi

Reference Entries

Abrin 1

Accidental Nuclear War 2

Agroterrorism (Agricultural Biological Warfare) 3

Airborne Alert 8

Al Qaeda 9

Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil 11

Anthrax 13

Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty 16

Antinuclear Movement 19

Anti-Satellite Weapons 22

Arms Control 23

Aum Shinrikyo 27

Australia Group 30

Baruch Plan 33

Bikini Island 34

Binary Chemical Munitions 34

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention 36

Bioregulators 39

Blood Agents 41

Botulism (Botulinum Toxin) 43

Brinkmanship 45

Broken Arrow 46

Brucellosis (Brucella Bacterium) 47

Chemical Weapons Convention 49

Chernobyl 51

China, People's Republic of 52

Chlorine Gas 54

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 56

Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (Nunn-Lugar Program) 57

Crisis Stability 59

Criticality and Critical Mass 60

De-alerting 65

Declared Facility 66

Depleted Uranium (U-238) 66

Deterrence 67

Deterrence and Defense Posture Review 69

Deuterium 70

Enrichment 73

Extended Deterrence 75

Fallout 79

Fentanyl 80

Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty 81

France 82

Fusion 84

Gun-Type Devices 87

Halabja Incident 91

Half-Life 92

Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses 93

Highly Enriched Uranium 94

Hiroshima 95

Hydrogen Bomb 96

Implosion Devices 99

India 101

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty 103

International Atomic Energy Agency 104

Iran 105

Iraq 109

Islamic State 113

Isotopes 115

Israel 115

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action 119

Kaffa, Siege of 121

Kiloton 122

Libya 123

Limited Test Ban Treaty 124

Lithium 125

Low Enriched Uranium 126

Manhattan Project 129

Megaton 132

Missile Defense 132

Missile Technology Control Regime 135

Mustard (Sulfur and Nitrogen) 136

Mutual Assured Destruction 139

Nagasaki 141

Napalm 142

Nerve Agents 143

Neutron Bomb (Enhanced Radiation Weapon) 145

New START Treaty 146

North Korea 147

Nuclear Fuel Cycle 150

Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty 152

Nuclear Posture Review 154

Nuclear Taboo 155

Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty 156

Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone 157

Nuclear Winter 158

Pakistan 159

Phosphorus 160

Pit 162

Plague 163

Plutonium 165

Prague Agenda 166

Primary Stage 167

Psychoincapacitants 168

Q Fever 171

Radiation 173

Radiological Dispersal Device 174

Reprocessing 175

Ricin 177

Russian Chemical and Biological Weapons 179

Russian Nuclear Forces and Doctrine 185

Smallpox 191

South Africa 193

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B 196

Stockpile Stewardship Program 197

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I and SALT II) 198

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) 200

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) 202

Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty 204

Syria 204

Tactical Nuclear Weapons 209

Triad 211

Tritium 212

Tularemia 212

United Kingdom 215

Uranium 217

U.S. Chemical and Biological Weapons Programs 220

U.S. Nuclear Forces and Doctrine 225

V-Agents 233

Wassenaar Arrangement 235

Weapons of Mass Destruction 235

Weapons-Grade Material 237

Yellow Rain 239

Yield 240

Primary Documents

Chemical and Biological Weapons 241

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (1972) 241

Chemical Weapons Convention (1993) 244

Australia Group 244

List of Plant Pathogens for Export Control (2012) 245

Control List of Dual-Use Biological Equipment and Related Technology and Software (2017) 246

Control List of Dual-Use Chemical Manufacturing Facilities and Equipment and Related Technology and Software (2017) 251

Export Control List: Chemical Weapons Precursors (2017) 257

List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control (2017) 259

Nuclear Weapons 263

Atomic Energy Act (1946) 263

North Atlantic Treaty (1949) 264

Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (1956) 266

Hot Line Agreement Summary (1963) 268

Treaty of Tlatelolco (1967) 268

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968) 270

Nuclear War Risk Reduction Measures Agreement (1971) 273

Seabed Treaty (1972) 275

Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (1972) 276

Interim Agreement on Strategic Offensive Arms (SALT I) (1972) 277

Prevention of Nuclear War Agreement (1973) 278

Threshold Test Ban Treaty (1974) 279

Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty (1976) 280

Harmel Report and NATO Dual-Track Decision (1979) 282

Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1980) 284

Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers Agreement (1987) 285

Ballistic Missile Launch Notification Agreement (1988) 286

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) (1991) 287

Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula (1992) 290

Treaty on Open Skies (1992) 290

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) (1993) 292

Missile Technology Control Regime, US. Guidelines (1993) 295

The Wassenaar Agreement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (1995) 296

Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (2002) 296

G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (2002) 297

National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction (2002) 298

New START Treaty (2010) 299

NATO Deterrence and Defence Posture Review (2012) 301

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (2015) 305

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017) 307

Chronology of Chemical and Biological Weapons 311

Chronology of Nuclear Weapons 315

Bibliography 323

Contributors 335

Index 339

About the Editors 359

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