The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War

"This is a sprightly and well-argued book that should be read by a wide audience. The complicated history of how the bomb influenced the start of the war has never been explored so well."—Lloyd Gardner, Rutgers University

~Lloyd Gardner

“An outstanding new interpretation of the origins of the Cold War that gives equal weight to American and Soviet perspectives on the conflict that shaped the contemporary world. Its central thesis—that the atomic bomb made the Cold War inevitable—is sure to provoke considerable controversy.”—Geoffrey Roberts, author of Stalin’s Wars: From World War to Cold War, 1939-1953 

~Geoffrey Roberts

“In a signal contribution, Craig and Radchenko bring together the key aspects of the role of the atom bomb in starting the Cold War, including its development, use, and the proposals for its control. With original research and keen judgment, the authors bring out new factors, such as the impact of the discovery of Soviet espionage on the development of the Baruch Plan, and integrate multiple elements to give us a much fuller picture of this crucial topic.”—Robert Jervis, Columbia University

~Robert Jervis

"Campbell Craig and Sergey Radchenko have produced a fascinating account of the origins of the Cold War.  Taking advantage of new documentation (especially on the Soviet side), they provide strong evidence that the dangers inherent in the atomic bomb itself—independently of ideological clashes or even run of the mill great power competition—played a pivotal, perhaps unavoidable role in creating the American-Soviet confrontation. This history speaks volumes about the underlying causes of suspicion and confrontation associated with nuclear proliferation today and the difficulties of reducing such tensions." —Robert A. Pape, University of Chicago

~Robert A. Pape