Annie Jacobsen

Because you've opened up the door for people to understand, okay, the ultimate thing is the nuclear launch decision. So if a person can't be trusted with that, you know, everything unravels from there.

Because you've opened up the door for people to understand, okay, the ultimate thing is the nuclear launch decision. So if a person can't be trusted with that, you know, everything unravels from there.

Because you've opened up the door for people to understand, okay, the ultimate thing is the nuclear launch decision. So if a person can't be trusted with that, you know, everything unravels from there.

I first learned about nuclear weapons from a guy called Al O'Donnell, who appears in my earlier books, because I interviewed him for over a period of four and a half years because he was... an engineer who actually wired nuclear bombs in the 1950s.

I first learned about nuclear weapons from a guy called Al O'Donnell, who appears in my earlier books, because I interviewed him for over a period of four and a half years because he was... an engineer who actually wired nuclear bombs in the 1950s.

I first learned about nuclear weapons from a guy called Al O'Donnell, who appears in my earlier books, because I interviewed him for over a period of four and a half years because he was... an engineer who actually wired nuclear bombs in the 1950s.

He was a member of the Manhattan Project in 1946, worked on Operation Crossroads, the first explosions of nuclear bombs after the war ended, after World War II ended, and went on to arm, wire, and fire 186 out of the 200 some odd atmospheric nuclear tests that the United States did before this was banned. And so I learned from him the power of these weapons, right?

He was a member of the Manhattan Project in 1946, worked on Operation Crossroads, the first explosions of nuclear bombs after the war ended, after World War II ended, and went on to arm, wire, and fire 186 out of the 200 some odd atmospheric nuclear tests that the United States did before this was banned. And so I learned from him the power of these weapons, right?

He was a member of the Manhattan Project in 1946, worked on Operation Crossroads, the first explosions of nuclear bombs after the war ended, after World War II ended, and went on to arm, wire, and fire 186 out of the 200 some odd atmospheric nuclear tests that the United States did before this was banned. And so I learned from him the power of these weapons, right?

And I learned from him this very almost nationalistic idea about how important it was to have nuclear weapons. And while I learned a lot about his human side, I also saw the side of him that was very Cold War warrior, right? And then, so he was kind of the first, and then, I don't know, there've been a hundred people that have been directly involved in nuclear weapons.

And I learned from him this very almost nationalistic idea about how important it was to have nuclear weapons. And while I learned a lot about his human side, I also saw the side of him that was very Cold War warrior, right? And then, so he was kind of the first, and then, I don't know, there've been a hundred people that have been directly involved in nuclear weapons.

And I learned from him this very almost nationalistic idea about how important it was to have nuclear weapons. And while I learned a lot about his human side, I also saw the side of him that was very Cold War warrior, right? And then, so he was kind of the first, and then, I don't know, there've been a hundred people that have been directly involved in nuclear weapons.

Billy Waugh, who was my subject of my main sort of central figure in a book I wrote about the CIA's paramilitary called Surprise, Kill, Vanish. And Waugh halo-jumped. a tactical nuclear weapon into the Nevada test site with a small team, almost unknown to anyone, right? Only recently declassified. And so his position was like, tactical nuclear weapons may end up being used.

Billy Waugh, who was my subject of my main sort of central figure in a book I wrote about the CIA's paramilitary called Surprise, Kill, Vanish. And Waugh halo-jumped. a tactical nuclear weapon into the Nevada test site with a small team, almost unknown to anyone, right? Only recently declassified. And so his position was like, tactical nuclear weapons may end up being used.

Billy Waugh, who was my subject of my main sort of central figure in a book I wrote about the CIA's paramilitary called Surprise, Kill, Vanish. And Waugh halo-jumped. a tactical nuclear weapon into the Nevada test site with a small team, almost unknown to anyone, right? Only recently declassified. And so his position was like, tactical nuclear weapons may end up being used.

So I'm trying to speak here to the scope of different people I have interviewed over the years, right? And what has happened is as I've gotten closer to the present day, you know, in arrears, there seems to be a growing movement from some of these cold warriors off the position of nuclear weapons make us great and strong toward war. Something must be done to reduce this threat.

So I'm trying to speak here to the scope of different people I have interviewed over the years, right? And what has happened is as I've gotten closer to the present day, you know, in arrears, there seems to be a growing movement from some of these cold warriors off the position of nuclear weapons make us great and strong toward war. Something must be done to reduce this threat.

So I'm trying to speak here to the scope of different people I have interviewed over the years, right? And what has happened is as I've gotten closer to the present day, you know, in arrears, there seems to be a growing movement from some of these cold warriors off the position of nuclear weapons make us great and strong toward war. Something must be done to reduce this threat.

Yes. Well, for that, you want to go to the experts, right? So for Russia, for example, there's a guy called Pavel Podvig, who is probably the West's top expert on Russian nuclear forces. He works in parallel with the UN. He also studied in Moscow. My information comes from him. You do all the footwork to know what questions to ask, and then you take the very specific questions to him.

Yes. Well, for that, you want to go to the experts, right? So for Russia, for example, there's a guy called Pavel Podvig, who is probably the West's top expert on Russian nuclear forces. He works in parallel with the UN. He also studied in Moscow. My information comes from him. You do all the footwork to know what questions to ask, and then you take the very specific questions to him.