At the Abyss: An Insider's History of the Cold War

Is this a page-turner full of great stories? Yes. Is it a trustworthy history book? No.Chapter 3. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the American embassy in Moscow advertises for any news about pilots who went missing in the fifties on reconnaissance missions around the Soviet periphery. Mary Dunham Nichols, the widow of one of them, receives a small package with a Russian postmark, containing her husband's Annapolis ring. "Only that and nothing more."Google search for "Mary Dunham Nichols". We find a Baltimore Sun article dated September 5, 1994, about her getting news from Defense Department liaison in Moscow. Her husband's grave was found, and there are plans to repatriate his remains. A related article from August 2, 1995 tells about a ceremony the day before in Arlington National Cemetery in which Capt. John Robertson Dunham's remains were reburied with full military honors. "Nothing more", really?Another example. Chapter 20, the Glomar Exporer story. The attempt in 1974 to raise a Russian submarine, which--we are told--remained a complete secret from the Soviets until 1992.Now read the Wikipedia article on Project Azorian, and referenced materials. It turns out the Soviets were aware of a possible salvage operation on K-129 (incidentally, never called Red Star). Glomar Explorer was observed by two Soviet ships. The story was partly leaked in 1975, after which the Soviets connected the dots and posted a warship to patrol the site of the operation.The way the book presents these stories is definitely more stark and memorable. And yet, it is not the truth. In how many more stories did the author take similar "storyine liberties"? I suspect in a few.Particularly astounding is the suggestion that Brezhnev was assassinated. A bloody coup was not part of Politburo's MO even in mid-1960s when Khruschev was removed from power, and definitely not by the early 1980s. A claim like this needs some solid evidence to be substantiated. None is offered.Which, basically, is what it boils down to: evidence. The difference between a trustworthy history book and a collection of anecdotes is that the history book is researched and references its sources. Without a single source reference, this book is what it is: a collection of unverified anecdotes, at least some of which fail verification.Fun to read though.

For anyone who lived in the decades following WWII, this is a chilling reminder of years when the world lived in blissful ignorance, while the nuclear giants were poised "at the abyss," and when all could have spun out of control on many occasions. It also is a vital history lesson, an inside look at the key players and events that shaped both the Soviet and Western systems and their responses to each other. Finally, it is a warning, that though the players have changed/evolved, we are in many ways still "at the abyss."The author shares a unique personal history and experiences that just keep you turning the pages, hungry for more. There are some points, however, when there is minute detail about nuclear weapons research, nuclear triggers, and some of the prominent scientists of the era. Just keep reading on, though, as the pace picks up as we move toward the recent history of the ending of the Cold War. As a baby boomer, who lived and learned about many of the events the author addresses, the pages of this book still contain more than their fair share of surprises. In many ways, this book is a lot about "the rest of the story" of the Cold War.Though not a page-turning thriller, this book definitely kept my attention and made me think about how things could have ended, but thankfully did not. It is a tribute to the professionals, on both sides, who understood the consequences, consequences that go far beyond any national or political ideologies. I think this means I heartily recommend this book as a way of learning how fragile things can be, and that everyday life should never be taken for granted. Happy reading!

This fascinating book is a must read for those who have "been there" during the Cold War and also for those for whom it is just a part of history. I found the book compelling and exciting, although I wouldn't characterize it as a comprehensive history as much as a memoir of one who viewed the struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from several significant perspectives.Three salient points came to mind as I read this book. First, the Cold War was as real a struggle as any of the "hotter" wars in our history. In the early 1970's, I served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer in SAC. I remember looking across the flightline during the 1973 Yom Kippur War at over 120 hydrogen bombs and warheads being loaded for real when we went to DEFCON 3. My life was dictated by Green Dot Alerts, DEFCONS and Alert Postures, with the knowledge that we were only 30 minutes from nuclear anhiliation. I also remember the professionalism of those in SAC who held the "nuclear keys" and respected them for the responsibilities they had and the awesome decisions they may be called to make. Mr. Reed's portrayal of both sides' desire to avoid the ultimate conflict is comforting, even in hindsight.The second point I derived from the book is that the Cold War was finally won by our economic might. Interactions between nations have always been governed by economics, all the way back to our Revolutionary War, when the French sided with us in order to benefit from potential trade, and the Dutch bankers helped bankroll the War through loans to the Colonies. Mr. Reed's insights to the total lack of understanding the Soviets had regarding, cost, profit, and the law of supply and demand are particularly enlightening.The final point I found somewhat disquieting. Mr. Reed's discussion describing the amount of weapons grade uranium and plutonium sitting in the former Soviet Union, coupled with the desires of some nations and terrorist groups who are considerably less rational than the Soviet government and military was makes me wonder how long it will be before the next atmospheric "test" occurs over an American or European population center. Responding to this challenge is as important today as America's response to the Soviet Union was over fifty years ago.I invite you to read this book and find out for yourself. I think you will find it fascinating.

Fantastic account of one mans view of the events of the Cold War, one that almost went hot on a few occasions, luckily for humanity that it didn't and sense prevailed. The geopolitics will be well remembered by most of us old enough to remember and indeed has helped to stir up old memories of exactly how frightening those years were, with the threat of a Soviet invasion of Europe expected at some point. It gives a good account of those days, and those fears, and helps to explain why things happened, and in what order, and you can see how close we came to altering the path of humanity several times, until the fall of the USSR and Soviet puppet governments throughout Europe.If your a bit of a modern history buff, you'll love it, and if your interested in nuclear politics you'll learn lots too.Well worth buying, if you can get hold of a copy that it!

Disgusting, not worth the paper it is printed on

Book as described and quick delivery

Very interesting work. Readable.

Exactly what I was looking for. The author lived the Cold War from inside. That's gold for historians.