Bomb Power

by Wills, Garry

• ISBN13: 9780143118688
• ISBN10: 0143118684
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-01-25
• Publisher: Penguin Group USA

Summary

A groundbreaking examination of how the atomic bomb profoundly altered the nature of American democracy. In Bomb Power, bestselling author Garry Wills presents a blistering critique of excessive executive power and official secrecy, drawing a direct line from the Manhattan Project to the usurpations of George W. Bush. He reveals how the atomic bomb transformed our nation down to its deepest constitutional roots-by dramatically increasing the power of the modern presidency and redefining the government as a national security state-leaving us in a state of continuous war alert for nearly seven decades. Bold and incisive, Bomb Powercasts the history of the postwar period in a new light and sounds an alarm about the continued threat to our Constitution.

Table of Contents

Introduction: War in Peace	p. 1
The Making of Bomb Power
Fatal Miracle	p. 7
Atomic Politics	p. 24
The Care and Keeping of the Bomb	p. 41
The National Security State
Beginnings (1945-1946)	p. 57
Annus Mirabilis (1947)	p. 70
Completing the Apparatus (1948-1952)	p. 86
Presidential Wars
Korea	p. 105
Permanent Emergency	p. 120
Information Power
Secrecy as Embarrassment Cover	p. 137
Secrecy as Congress Deceiver	p. 148
Secrecy as Policy Disabler	p. 161
Secrecy as Crime Concealer	p. 175
Executive Usurpations
"War Powers"	p. 187
Challenging Secrecy	p. 197
The Unitary Executive	p. 209
American Monarch	p. 222
Afterword	p. 237
Notes	p. 243
Index	p. 267
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