War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987

Part of War and Peace in the Nuclear Age.

02/12/1987

Subramanian Swamy is an Indian politician who served in Parliament in the 1970s and 1980s (later becoming a Cabinet Minister), and a scholar who has written extensively on the foreign and economic affairs of India. In the interview he describes his role in the 1960s in demonstrating that India was able economically to afford to develop nuclear weapons. His reasons for supporting such a program stemmed from China's nuclear successes, which posed a threat to India and also showed how much a nation's prestige could be enhanced. Pakistan, he asserts, was not a factor at the time, though it became one after 1971. He argues that adopting a nuclear course was not inconsistent with India's traditions, particularly in the context of guaranteeing her independence. He recounts the attitudes of leading politicians toward the bomb -- including prime ministers Shastri (in favor), Indira Gandhi ("totally pacifist" and opposed) and Desai ("deadly opposed"). He contends that Gandhi finally chose to go ahead with a test in part to respond to Pakistan's program but also as a political act to boost her own popularity at home. Mr. Swamy was "very violently" opposed to the NPT. He describes aspects of the Indian program, names several key scientists involved, and notes the differences between the Indian test and an actual bomb. His reasons for supporting a bomb changed in the 1970s to include the concern that the United States after Vietnam would not be in a position to counter a possible Soviet intervention in the region. Other security concerns were the growth of Sino-Soviet tensions and the invasion of Afghanistan. Mr. Swamy also addresses the intertwined issues of Pakistan's nuclear program and President Jimmy Carter's proliferation policies. He concludes with an assessment of India's current nuclear thinking and the prospects for the next decade. He notes the disutility of using weapons in the region, including the deadly effects for India from wind blowing radioactivity from Pakistan over several Indian cities.

License Clip

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Series

War and Peace in the Nuclear Age

Program

Carter's New World

Program Number

108

Title

Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987

Series Description

The first atomic explosion in the New Mexico desert on July 16, 1945, changed the world forever. This series chronicles these changes and the history of a new era. It traces the development of nuclear weapons, the evolution of nuclear strategy, and the politics of a world with the power to destroy itself.

In thirteen one-hour programs that combine historic footage and recent interviews with key American, Soviet, and European participants, the nuclear age unfolds: the origin and evolution of nuclear weapons; the people of the past who have shaped the events of the present; the ideas and issues that political leaders, scientists, and the public at large must confront, and the prospects for the future. Nuclear Age highlights the profound changes in contemporary thinking imposed by the advent of nuclear weapons. Series release date: 1/1989

Program Description

President Carter comes to office determined to reduce the number of nuclear weapons and to improve relations with the Soviet Union. His frustrations are as grand as his intentions.

Carter had hoped the United States and the Soviet Union would reduce their reliance on nuclear weapons. He stopped production of the B-1 bomber. He believed the SALT II negotiations would be a step toward eliminating nuclear weapons. But his intentions were frustrated by Soviet actions and by a lack of consensus among his own advisors, including Chief SALT II negotiator Paul Warnke and national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski (who was dubious about arms control). Carter balanced Soviet aggression in Africa by improving American relations with China. He withdrew SALT II treaty from Senate consideration but its terms continued to serve as general limits on strategic nuclear force levels for both the United States and the Soviet Union.

Duration

00:58:39

Asset Type

Raw video

Media Type

Video

Subjects

Soviet Union

Desai, Morarji, 1896-1995

Ramanna, Raja, 1925-2004

China

Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)

United States. Nuclear Nonproliferation Act of 1978

Nuclear energy

Shastri, Lal Bahadur, 1904-1966

Nuclear nonproliferation

Gandhi, Indira, 1917-1984

Locations

Genres

Topics

Contributors

Swamy, Subramanian (Interviewee)

Publication Information

WGBH Educational Foundation

Citation

Chicago: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987,” 02/12/1987, GBH Archives, accessed December 22, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C4A2F865578E4A4792944415C1C49351.

MLA: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987.” 02/12/1987. GBH Archives. Web. December 22, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C4A2F865578E4A4792944415C1C49351>.

APA: War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C4A2F865578E4A4792944415C1C49351

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War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Subramanian Swamy, 1987