| Title | : | No High Ground |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0313242216 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780313242212 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published June 1, 1960 |
No High Ground Reviews
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Book 20 of Nuclear Studies:
This is a great, short little read as to the events leading up to and just after the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s by far the smallest book I own on the subject, but packed with far more information than I expected.
One of, what I think, the best parts of it is is that the book was written only about 15 years after the relevant events. At the beginning, the authors disclose their reliance on primary sources and lament that there were some government documents which they were not permitted to research. Many of my other books on the subject reference this one as a source in their bibliographies, and it is certainly a valuable one, full of interesting and colorful anecdotes and quotes from the people involved.
If you’re interested in a full history of this historical event, but don’t want to commit to one of the longer reads, I would highly recommend this book to you. -
One of the best books I've read on the atomic bomb! The story goes into detail about how the decision was made to use the bombs, what affect that decision had on the scientists who made the bombs, spies who tired to steal secrets, and government leaders who made the decision to drop the bombs. I truly could not put the book down. I also learned a lot of things along the way. Great read!!
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An exceptional account of the event which changed the world forever. This covers every aspect throughout the development of the capability to the decision whether or not to use it reviewed both in the context of the time and with the eyes of today.
Possibly a spoiler, but I believe the book outlines the essential answer to the morality of its use within its time. Despite the tragedy of the loss created by a single weapon in a single event, it definitively ended a war which would have cost arguably more lives and destruction in the long run. The question beyond the book is whether the new world which was created the moment the Trinity test was successful started the path to our destruction, or whether a decision not to pursue the nuclear option would’ve just delayed the inevitable.
Either way, this book develops a critical understanding to the circumstances surrounding the creation and employment of atomic weapons.
