Illustrated with more than 100 b&w photographs, this reference offers a complete, up-to-date history of the development of US nuclear weapons and detailed descriptions of the entire American nuclear arsenal, including the variety of systems capable of delivering them. It describes all of the nuclear weapons developed by the US, as well as the nuclear missiles and rockets carried by air-defense fighters within the US, and the nuclear-armed surface-to-air missiles surrounding major US cities and military bases. In addition to a history of weaponry, deployment, and dismantlement, the reference offers a history of American nuclear strategy, analyzes the various technical streams of research and the doctrinal evolution that led to the weapons, and assesses the impact of those developments on the larger history of the Cold War and its aftermath. Appendices give information on US nuclear stockpiles, effects of nuclear weapons, and US strategic offensive forces from 1945 to 2008. B&w historical photos of weapons and key figures appear on every page. The book is of interest to think tanks, decision makers, and students of nuclear affairs. Polmar is a defense analyst. Norris is senior research associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, DC. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)