Scholars of history and of international relations tell very different stories of US disarmament policy after World War II, says Tal (history and international relations, Syracuse U.), and though he offers a single account, it nevertheless pivots on two themes. The first is the strong continuity of policy through the 18 years, with any change coming incrementally. The second is how to balance American values and self-perceptions against the actions of American allies and adversaries. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)