Author Description

This massive book provides encyclopedic coverage of the missile programs of the United States during the Cold War era, with extraordinary details about the headline programs of Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules, ABM, Safeguard, BOMARC, ICBM, Atlas, Titan I and II, Minuteman I, II and III, Jupiter, Thor, and Snark. It is one of the best single source documents official histories of these incredible missile systems. Contents:Introduction: The Cold War and the Nation * Part I: A History of the United States Cold War Missile Program * Chapter 1 * In the Beginning: The Early History of Rocket and Guided Missile Development * Chapter 2 * The Immediate Post-War Era, 1945-1950: Opportunities and Constraints * Chapter 3 * The Beginning of Rearmament, 1950-1954 * Chapter 4 * The ICBM Program Takes Flight, 1954-1955 * Chapter 5 * The Debate Over Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles, 1955-1958 * Chapter 6 * The Air Defense Debate * Chapter 7 * Building Missiles, 1954-1966 * Chapter 8 * ICBM Deployment * Chapter 9 * America's Missile Communities: Social and Economic Impact * Chapter 10 * Antiballistic Missile Defense: Nike Zeus Through Safeguard * Chapter 11 * Modernizing the ICBM Force * Chapter 12 * Arms Control Agreements: The Legacy for Preservation * Chapter 13 * Conclusion * Bibliography * Part II: System Profiles * Introduction * Defensive Missile Systems * Nike Ajax * Nike Hercules * Antiballistic Missiles (ABM): the Safeguard System * BOMARC * Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles * Atlas * Titan I and II * Minuteman I, II, and III * Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles * Jupiter * Thor * Long-Range, Air-Breathing Missiles * Snark * Part III: Site Overviews: * Histories of Missile Development and Deployment Sites in the United States * Appendices * A: A Chronology of the United States Missile Program During the Cold War, 1945-1989 * B: An Inventory of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Launch Facilities and Air Defense Missile Sites in the United States * GlossaryTo Defend and D