Overview

This work examines British thinking about nuclear weapons in the period up to about 1970, looking at the subject through the eyes of the Royal Navy, in the belief that this can offer new insights in this field.

Key Arguments

The author argues that the Navy was always sceptical about nuclear weapons, both on practical grounds and because of wartime and pre-war experiences.

Implications

He suggests that this scepticism can teach us a good deal about military technological innovation in general.