International Security

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Death Dust: The Little-Known Story of U.S. and Soviet Pursuit of Radiological Weapons

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In this file photo taken April 3, 2008, the control panel for Hanford nuclear reservation's famous B Reactor is shown in Richland, Wash. The B Reactor, the world's first full-sized reactor, will be part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the nation's newest national park. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
In this file photo taken April 3, 2008, the control panel for Hanford nuclear reservation's famous B Reactor is shown in Richland, Wash. The B Reactor, the world's first full-sized reactor, will be part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the nation's newest national park. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Summary

The pursuit of radiological weapons by states has received little scholarly attention. Yet several countries, most prominently the United States and the Soviet Union, developed and tested these weapons before ultimately abandoning their programs. A comparative analysis of these underexplored programs identifies the drivers behind their rise and demise. The findings also illuminate the factors likely to affect the pursuit of radiological weapons by other states in the future.

Recommended citation

Samuel Meyer, Sarah Bidgood, and William C. Potter, "Death Dust: The Little-Known Story of U.S. and Soviet Pursuit of Radiological Weapons," International Security, Vol. 45, No. 2 (Fall 2020), pp. 51-94,

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