An authoritative study of the dangers nations face today from weapons of mass destruction and the successes and failures of international nonproliferation efforts. This proliferation atlas documents with maps, charts, and graphs the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and missile delivery systems. The book describes the weapons and the regimes that try to control them; it also details the countries that have, want, or have given up weapons of mass destruction.

Nuclear weapons.

This vital book examines why states seek to gain Weapons of Mass Destruction, a crucial issue in developing strategies against proliferation. Leading experts examine specific countries and the interplay among political, economic, cultural and regional factors driving decisions whether to acquire WMD.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes delivers a riveting account of the nuclear arms race and the Cold War. In the Reagan-Gorbachev era, the United States and the Soviet Union came within minutes of nuclear war, until Gorbachev boldly launched a campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons, setting the stage for the 1986 Reykjavik summit and the incredible events that followed. In this thrilling, authoritative narrative, Richard Rhodes draws on personal interviews with both Soviet and U.S. participants and a wealth of new documentation to unravel the compelling, shocking story behind this monumental time in human history—its beginnings, its nearly chilling consequences, and its effects on global politics today.