Keepers of the Keys - A Historical Review of the NuclearStockpile Development and Operational Readiness During the Cold War [Hardcover]

Charles V. Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1999

Book delivers the readers to the nuclear test detonation site, and to top secret war room briefings for the JCS, documents "hands-on" training with nuclear weapons, his overseas work as a unit commander and as an Inspector General and finally his service as a military assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy. His memoir is an insider's account that examines the workings of a postwar government through the apex of the Cold War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I recommend this book to anyone interested in authentic and accurate information of the system that kept our nuclear arsenal ready..." -- J.W. Stansberry, Lt.Gen.,USAF

From the Author

A participant's view of nuclear weapon operations and deployments leading to U.S. supremacy in the Cold War.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Doran Pub; 1st edition (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966362357
• ISBN-13: 978-0966362350
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,327,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars nuclear security - an inside view, July 16, 2000

By 

Herbert J. Sorensen (Escondido, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Keepers of the Keys - A Historical Review of the NuclearStockpile Development and Operational Readiness During the Cold War (Hardcover)

Having been raised in the era of the development, deployment and security of atomic weapons, I was fascinated to read a first-hand account by someone who had been with the program from its inception, through to a world-wide distribution, requiring total security.Colonel Clark writes not only from a first hand experience of the technical aspects of the systems involved, but also includes his and others' personal stories. These narrations give a glimpse into the dedication, competence and commitment of the few to whom we owe so much in preserving our freedom during a very dangerous era.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not much there, January 30, 2002

By 

Jeff Stieglitz (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Keepers of the Keys - A Historical Review of the NuclearStockpile Development and Operational Readiness During the Cold War (Hardcover)

I'm sorry to say that I can't agree with the earlier reviewers. I was expecting to see plenty of detail about the development of permissive action links, handling procedures, and the personnel reliability program. Instead, I was treated to a long overview of the author's military career. A bit light on detail for my taste.

In my humble opinion, readers seeking lots of technical and procedural information would enjoy The Angry Genie, The Logic of Accidental Nuclear War, or Managing Nuclear Operations.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Hand Review of the Birth of the Nuclear Stockpile, March 25, 2001

By 

J. Garbinski "Peacemaker Press" (Dover, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Keepers of the Keys - A Historical Review of the NuclearStockpile Development and Operational Readiness During the Cold War (Hardcover)

Colonel Clark's book provides an insight rarely seen on the birth of the nuclear stockpile. The book provides a mix of Colonel Clark's professional responsibilities and the adventures and hardships encountered while trying to raise a family, and constantly being reassigned from one duty station to another. As an Air Force veteran myself, I found it easy to understand the problems associated with moving from one location to another, especially those long overseas assignments.

Colonel Clark's in-depth first hand knowledge on the early nuclear weapons program provides a unique perspective from the highest echelon. I found the book invaluable in my research. Thank you Colonel Clark, for sharing your experiences of a most distinguished career.

Retired Air Force Master Sergeant