Red Cloud at Dawn: Truman, Stalin, and the End of the Atomic Monopoly [Paperback]

August 29,1949 would have been another day in the history of mankind, had it not been the day when the American monopoly over the atom bomb had come to an end.On that day,the first Soviet bomb, called "First Lightning" exploded in the deserts of Kazakhstan.This event was to lead to nuclear proliferation beyond the two supepowers.
The book starts with the Potsdam Conference, where Truman had revealed to the Russian dictator Stalin that the USA were in the possession of a devastating weapon.Stalin remained calm and it was at this point where speculation started as to the reasons of why Stalin has reacted(or did not react)the way he had.One thing was clear:the Russians knew berofehand about the American atom project,called "Manhattan".They obtained this information from so many spies who were responsible for transmitting this news to them.These spies were not necessarily employed by the GRU or the NKGB bosses.There were many scientists, like Klaus Fuchs or Alan Nunn May who were working for comrade Stalin because they shared his ideological ideas.The extent of espionage about the "Manhattan Project" for the development of the first Soviet nuclear bomb became known after the Russian archives holding relevant materials
opened their gates to the public and scholars alike.One of Moscow spymasters was Pavel Sudoplatov-the man who was also responsible for dispatching the man who would assassinate Leon Trotsky in Mexico in 1940.Sudoplatov claimed that Beria summoned him in February 1944 to head a new department (dubbed "S") to deal with atomic espionage.This department was to integrate the information which the NKGB and the GRU got from their various sources.The name of the whole espionage operation was "Enormoz",showing the extent of suh a mammoth enterprise.
There were many rings of spies that were vying for the atom secrets.The most famous one was the notorious Cambridge Five Group.Among its members there were Kim Philby and Guy Burgess.
Then the defection of Igor Gouzenko, a Russian cipher clerk ,in Canada in 1945, demonstrated again what the west had suspected before: the most secret project of theirs was riddlled with spies and informers.
But ,as Professor Gordin makes it clear, all this information was not good enough for the Russians.They had so many pieces of information but they never knew whether these purloined secret papers were authentic or part of a deception plan.Second, they needed a lot of scientists to make sense of the huge amount of information that was making its way to the center of Moscow.
Third, the Russians were not naive.At the end of WW2, they have taken steps in order to ensure that Nazi scientists ,who were suspected of having relevant infornmation about nuclear fission,would be convinced to cross over to their side.The recruitment of German scientists was to take part during May to November 1945 and this process continued until 1948.The recruited were scientists, engineers and lab assistants-three hundred in all.
The following chapters of the book detail the everyday routine of those working to satisfy Stalin and his henchman, Beria.Professor Gordin asks many questions about what each side knew or did not know about the other's intentions.
We also get a very detailed account of the American reactions when they heard about the successful Russian experiment.These is done with the help of many American and Russian sources offering new perspectives on the issue.He highlights the role played by key players in this drama, such as Bernard Baruch,David Lilienthal and Dean Acheson as well as those scientists who were responsible for the development of the Russian bomb.
Nuclear proliferation started in 1949 and is still with us,unfortunately.This is why this book is so relevant and merits to be read by everyone who cares about our planet.

if you are interested in nuclear proliferation and nuclear strategy, then you'll be thrilled reading this book. It is a very, very interesting look at the period of time from the detonation of the "Trinity" test, up until the detonation of "First Lightening" (the Soviet test). Each chapter focuses on a certain side of the government and the politics, such as the "announcement" of Trinity to Stalin, the announcement of the first Soviet test, the effort to put in-place nuclear detection devices...all fascinating.

One thing I would like is more pictures. Many of the figures here, such as the AEC chairman and even the SecDef(s), are mostly unknown today. I'd love to see more pictures of these people, the devices involved, the atomic tests, etc., etc. This was a time of enormous "look at that" stuff, and I wish the book had many more pictures, drawings and illustrations.

Also, I would be thrilled to see the author do a sequel to this book, say the next decade when the atomic bomb led to a full-blown arms race, particularly with the US Strategic Air Command (SAC). That would be fascinating.

That's the day when the Cold War heated up; it was the day when the Soviet Union exploded their first fission bomb, the US lost its monopoly and the world becomes much more dangerous. Much of what is presented in this enlightening, fact filled book will be the ramifications of that event but the book begins at the Potsdam Conference in 1945 when President Truman tells Stalin of the new weapon the US has. Truman, over confident in the US monopoly in nuclear technology, believed Stalin was ignorant of the Manhattan Project or of the capabilities of nuclear weapons when in reality the Soviet Union knew all about the Manhattan Project and had already started their own program. That over confidence will cause the US to make some poor decisions in the coming years.

Though spending some time describing the Soviet's nuclear program, the author doesn't spend any appreciable time describing the Manhattan Project but delves into the political and intelligence aspects of these two super powers escalating the Arms Race into the 1950s and beyond.
During the Yeltsin era, Soviet classified documents were opened to the public and using this material and other sources the author has updated the Soviet position of what they knew and when they knew it as well as what they did and why they did it. Much coverage is given to the espionage programs of both countries in determining the developments of the other. To complete the story, Mr Gordin describes the actions the US took to block, neutralize and prevent Soviet dominance in the nuclear arms race as well as its standing in the world as our world was becoming polarized. He also describes the political environment Washington was morphing into. Its a fascinating but frightening story that is still shaping the world today. That world became even scarier when both countries started working on Teller's Super Bomb. The author includes the controversy and delay of starting the Super Bomb in the US while the Soviet Union accelerated their research. This is the briefest of outlines for the author covers the whole spectrum of concerns of this conflict.
The author includes a few photos and more importantly an outstanding Notes section and a Source list.

Mr Gordin, a professor and accomplished author has written an important and engaging book about developments that have the potential to overshadow and in some aspects have overshadowed WWII and all generations should read this book to understand the origins of the Arms Race that's impacting our world today.

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