Publisher's Synopsis
Nuclear weapons have a destructive capacity so catastrophic that many historians argue their invention issued in a new era, the Atomic Age. Readers will learn about the scientific discoveries in the early twentieth century, such as the structure of the atom and the existence of isotopes, that led scientists to first conceive of nuclear weapons. They'll read how first the Americans, and later the Russians, British, French, and Chinese developed nuclear weapons. Attention is also paid to later nuclear powers and those currently aspiring to join the nuclear club. Visual learners will appreciate the many photographs, maps, diagrams, and graphs that this fascinating book contains.
