Limit search to available items
Book Cover
E-book
Author Young, Ken, 1943-2019, author.

Title The American bomb in Britain : US Air Forces' strategic presence, 1946-64 / Ken Young
Published Manchester : Manchester University Press, 2016
©2016

Copies

Description 1 online resource (x, 304 pages) : illustrations, maps
Series Manchester Political Studies
Contents Cover; The American bomb in Britain ; Contents ; List of illustrations ; Preface ; List of abbreviations ; Introduction; 1 Searching for bases ; 2 Deploying to England ; 3 Here to stay? ; 4 Rehearsing for war ; 5 Difficult relations ; 6 A vulnerable island ; 7 Defending the strategic force ; 8 Towards atomic partnership ; 9 Borrowing the bomb ; 10 Consenting to nuclear war ; 11 Strike hard, strike sure ... and strike together? ; 12 The asymmetrical alliance ; Bibliography; Index
Summary ' The American bomb in Britain tells the story of the strategic nuclear forces deployed to England by the United States, drawing on more than a decade's worth of research in archives on both sides of the Atlantic. The book begins with the secret installation on two airfields in eastern England, just months after the atomic bombing of Japan, of the infrastructure to support the US atomic strike force for planned attacks on the Soviet Union. It proceeds to examine how Strategic Air Command built up those forces until the coming of the missile age, when the need for forward bomber bases in Britain came to an end. Specific areas of focus include the USAF's relations with their British hosts, tensions between the American commands, the continuous struggle to develop and safeguard the expanding base network and the losing battle to provide the deployed bomber forces with an adequate air defence. The resulting picture casts an unfavourable light on the British governments of the period, who are criticised for their lack of foresight, their uncertain grasp of strategic realities and their unwillingness to shoulder the burden of defending the United Kingdom against Soviet air attack. This challenging analysis, based on massive archival sources, will provoke and stimulate Cold War historians and air power enthusiasts alike, and be read by those many veterans who served in the units of Strategic Air Command and the United States Air Forces, Europe, during that brief but dangerous period of nuclear history' --Back cover
This study tells the story of the strategic nuclear forces deployed to England by the United States from the late 1940s, and details the secret agreement made to launch atomic strikes against the USSR. Drawing on more than a decade's research in archives on both sides of the Atlantic, hitherto unknown aspects of Cold War history are revealed. The book deals with the United States Air Force's (USAF) relations with their British hosts as well as tensions between the American commands, with the continuous struggle to develop and safeguard the expanding base network and with the losing battle to provide the deployed bomber forces with an adequate air defence. This challenging analysis, based on massive archival sources, will provoke and stimulate Cold War historians and air power enthusiasts alike, and be read by those many veterans who served in the units of Strategic Air Command and the USAF in Europe, during that brief but dangerous period of nuclear history
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-298) and index
Notes In English
Print version record
Subject United States. Air Force -- History.
SUBJECT United States. Air Force fast
USA Air Force gnd
Subject Nuclear warfare -- United States
Cold War.
History.
Humanities.
Military history.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- International Relations -- Diplomacy.
HISTORY -- Military -- Other.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING -- Military Science.
Military policy
Military relations
Nuclear warfare
Militär
Ost-West-Konflikt
Stationierung
Strategie
Society & Social Sciences -- Politics & government -- International relations -- Diplomacy.
SUBJECT United States -- Military policy. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140379
United States -- Military relations -- Great Britain
Great Britain -- Military relations -- United States
Subject Great Britain
United States
Großbritannien
USA
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781526100658
1526100657
9781526115300
1526115301
9781526100665
1526100665