Nuclear Folly

Serhii, Plokhy

£25.00

For 13 days in October 1962 the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. This is a blow-by-blow account of how the United States and the Soviet Union got there and the many missteps that could have led to the end of the world as we know it. Award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy tells the riveting story of those weeks, tracing the tortuous decision-making that produced and then resolved it, involving John Kennedy and his advisers, Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro, and their commanders on the ground. More often than not, the Americans and Soviets misread each other, operated under false information and came terrifyingly close to nuclear catastrophe. Despite these mistakes, nuclear war was avoided thanks to one central reason: fear.

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Publish Date: 13/04/2021

Description

‘An enthralling account of a pivotal moment in modern history. . . replete with startling revelations about the deception and mutual suspicion that brought the US and Soviet Union to the brink of Armageddon in October 1962’ Martin Chilton, Independent

The definitive new history of the Cuban Missile Crisis from the author of Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy, winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize

For more than four weeks in the autumn of 1962 the world teetered. The consequences of a misplaced step during the Cuban Missile Crisis could not have been more grave. Ash and cinder, famine and fallout; nuclear war between the two most-powerful nations on Earth.

In Nuclear Folly, award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy tells the riveting story of those weeks, tracing the tortuous decision-making and calculated brinkmanship of John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro, and of their advisors and commanders on the ground. More often than not, Plokhy argues, the Americans and Soviets simply misread each other, operating under mutual distrust, second-guesses and false information. Despite all of this, nuclear disaster was avoided thanks to one very human reason: fear.

Drawing on an impressive array of primary sources, including recently declassified KGB files, Plokhy masterfully illustrates the drama of those tense days. Authoritative, fast-paced and unforgettable, this is the definitive new account of the Cold War’s most perilous moment.

Additional information

Weight 723 g
Dimensions 240 × 162 × 41 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

444 , 8 unnumbered of plates

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

973.922 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K