It is a controversial treatise on the nature and theory of war in the thermonuclear weapon age. During the time of kahns first studies, the mathematician olaf helmer, also at rand, proposed a theoretical basis for the use of expert opinion in forecasting. Indeed, galumphing around stages across the country, joking his way through one grotesque thermonuclear scenario after another, he came frighteningly close. On thermonuclear war download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Herman kahn has 24 books on goodreads with 1540 ratings. On thermonuclear war kindle edition by kahn, herman, jones, evan. A1final november 2004 the changing nature of warfare transcript and summary of a conference, 2526 may 2004 at the cna corporation. In 1960 i published a book that attempted to direct attention to the possibility of a thermonuclear war, to ways of reducing the likelihood of such a war, and to methods for coping with the consequences should war occur despite our efforts to.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read on thermonuclear war. It furthers the universitys objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in. He became known for analyzing the likely consequences of nuclear war and recommending ways to improve. Herman kahn was the ringleader of a group that came to be known as the megadeath intelle. On thermonuclear war is a book by herman kahn, a military strategist at the rand corporation, although it was written only a year before he left rand to form. In 1960, herman kahn published on nuclear war, in which. On thermonuclear war by herman kahn, evan jones waterstones. In it, kahn addresses the strategic doctrines of nuclear war and its effect on the international balance of. Other articles where on thermonuclear war is discussed. Apparently he wanted to produce a definitive edition, superior to anything else that existed. In 1960 hudson institute cofounder herman kahn published on thermonuclear war, a compendium of material from 12 hours.
Kahn got things rolling in 1960 when his book, on thermonuclear war was published by princeton university press. Austriahungary declared war on serbia, whose ally russia then mobilized for war. The oxford history of modern war central intelligence agency. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading on thermonuclear war. In it, kahn addresses the strategic doctrines of nuclear war and its effect on the international balance of power. Comprising three lecturesin the sense that goethes faust can be called a playit is an extended, informed, perceptive and often brilliant exploration of the problems of central war, deterrence, national strategies and objectives. The civil war era 18441877 us history khan academy. Buy on thermonuclear war 1 by kahn, herman, jones, evan isbn. Kahn s classic on thermonuclear war had been reissued by transaction publishing. This is a dense and weighty book that examines its subject in great detail. This is an exceptionally important book on some of the most critical issues of the next decade. Herman kahn february 15, 1922 july 7, 1983 was a founder of the hudson institute and one of the preeminent futurists of the latter part of the twentieth century. Publication date 1961 topics nuclear warfare, questions militaires.
Herman kahn was the only nuclear strategist in america who might have made a living as a standup comedian. The oxford history of modern war edited by charles townshend 1. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. The giles edition of the art of war, as stated above, was a scholarly work. On thermonuclear war was controversial when originally published and remains so today. Kahn was also something of a character, and an original thinker. By the late 1950s, the notion that nuclear war would extinguish mankind, dramatized in nevil shutes best selling on the beach and the subsequent movie, or kill hundreds of millions of americans at the very least, had become prevalent. By the late 1950s, the notion that nuclear war would extinguish mankind, dramatized in nevil shutes best selling on the beach and the. Kubrick was intrigued by kahns book on thermonuclear war. On thermonuclear war edition 1 by herman kahn, evan. Giles was a leading sinologue at the time and an assistant in the department of oriental printed books and manuscripts in the british museum.
Human nature has not made much moral progress since the end of the third reich but its very worst instinct for total destruction has, so far, been held at bay by the certainty of selfdestruction. It is iconoclastic, crosses disciplinary boundaries, and finally it is calm and compellingly reasonable. Since the works first appearance in 1832, it has been read throughout the world, and has stimulated generations of soldiers, statesmen, and. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It would be parodied in the classic stanley kubrick film dr. The book was widely read on both sides of the iron curtain and the result was serious revision in both western and soviet strategy and doctrine. On thermonuclear war was controversial when it was first publishedand still is, today. When kahn published on thermonuclear war in 1960, some intellectuals were enraged but many others were forced to think for the first time about the possibilities for survival after a nuclear war. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Kahn is remembered for his assertions that a nuclear war would mean neither the end of civilization nor of humanity, that even a modest civil defense program could make a substantial difference in the time that a firstworld nation needed to recover from such. On thermonuclear war by herman kahn overdrive rakuten.
Ghamaritabrizi, sharon the worlds of herman kahn the intuitive science of thermonuclear war. World war i began after serbian nationalist gavrilo princip assassinated archduke franz ferdinand of the austrohungarian empire on june 28, 1914. After kahn and kubrick met in person, kahn recommended that he put such a device in the movie. His book, on thermonuclear war, three lectures and several suggestions, offered governments with courage what kahn called hard choices. Quotations by herman kahn, american scientist, born february 15, 1922. Abaa on thermonuclear war by kahn, herman search for. Kahns classic on thermonuclear war had been reissued by transaction publishing. Books by herman kahn author of on thermonuclear war. Publishers were not eager to take on something like this, because until kahn came along, the conventional wisdom was that nuclear war meant the end of the world. In telling the story of herman kahn, whose 1960 book on thermonuclear war catapulted him into celebrity. In telling his story, ghamaritabrizi captures an era that is still very much with usa time whose innocence, gruesome nuclear humor, and outrageous but deadly serious visions of annihilation have their echoes in the known unknowns and unknown unknowns that guide. In it he read about a device called the doomsday machine, a system that is designed to annihilate the planet in case some country decides to start a nuclear war. Some specific suggestions for achieving early nonmilitary defense capabilities and initiating longrange programs 1958.
The nature and feasibility of war and deterrence 1960. On thermonuclear war is a book by herman kahn, a military strategist at the rand corporation, although it was written only a year before he left rand to form the hudson institute. Kahn applied this technique in on thermonuclear war, a book that examines the potential consequences of a. On thermonuclear war kindle edition by herman kahn, evan jones. As a result, both sides were better able to avoid disaster.
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