Volume II of The Official History of the UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent provides an authoritative and in-depth examination of the British Government's strategy towards nuclear deterrent from 1964 to 1970. Written with full access to the UK documentary record, Volume II examines the nuclear policy of the Labour Government that took office in October 1964. Having decided to preserve the Polaris programme, ministers were nevertheless committed not to develop another generation of nuclear weapons beyond those in the pipeline, placing major questions over the long-term future of the nuclear programme and collaboration with the United States. This book will be of much interest to students of British politics, nuclear proliferation and international relations.

Matthew Jones is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, and author of, amongst other books, After Hiroshima: The United States, Race, and Nuclear Weapons in Asia, 1945-1965 (2010).

Preface

1. Labour in power: The Atlantic Nuclear Force and the Polaris programme, October 1964 - January 1965

2. Nuclear testing, the future of the MDA, and the defence review, January - October 1965

3. The demise of the ANF proposals and the end of the nuclear sharing debate, November 1965 - July 1966

4. A nuclear weapons programme at the crossroads, January - September 1966

5. A new context for nuclear policy, October 1966-February 1967

6. 'Shades of Skybolt,', February-May 1967

7. 'To destroy what ashes?' May-July 1967

8. Polaris in jeopardy, July - November 1967

9. Polaris reprieved and the launch of a pilot study, November 1967 - January 1968

10. The Press Gang at work and the birth of 'Super Antelope', January - June 1968

11. The Kings Norton report and its aftermath, July-December 1968

12. The revival of the Anglo-American nuclear relationship, and the approach of SALT, January-October 1969

13. A matter of timing, October 1969 - June 1970

Postscript: The independent deterrent and the coming of Polaris