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War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Alexsandr Krasulin, 1986

Part of War and Peace in the Nuclear Age.

12/12/1986

Alexsandr Krasulin was associated for many years with the Soviet Institute for Nuclear Research in Moscow. He opens with a discussion of nonproliferation, calling it the only area of common ground between the superpowers in the area of disarmament. Among other related topics he describes Moscow’s nonproliferation policies toward its allies. He is asked about the Atoms for Peace program, noting that the Soviets had their own version, complete with international conferences starting in 1954. He gives his reactions to the programs of France, China, and India, and delineates his concerns about possible developments on the Korean peninsula, and the Middle East. He rejects the proposition that there is a nuclear club that arrogates nuclear-related decisions and standard-setting to itself. He criticizes Israel’s 1981 strike against Iraq’ reactor, and comments on U.S. nuclear exports and the contradiction between commercial and nonproliferation priorities.


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Series
War and Peace in the Nuclear Age
Program
Carter's New World
Program Number

109

Title

Interview with Alexsandr Krasulin, 1986

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

00:41:46

Asset Type

Raw video

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Iraq
Germany
Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)
Israel
International Atomic Energy Agency
United States
Nuclear nonproliferation
India
Nuclear disarmament
Japan
Pakistan
Nuclear-weapon-free zones
Nuclear weapons
Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (1967)
Soviet Union
Great Britain
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)
United Nations
China
France
Korea (South)
South Africa
Locations
Moscow, Russia
Genres
Documentary
Topics
War and Conflict
History
Global Affairs
Science
Contributors
Krasulin, Alexsandr B. (Interviewee)
Publication Information
WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Alexsandr Krasulin, 1986,” 12/12/1986, GBH Archives, accessed December 22, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_E50A09667FDF48D5813F71B27A409F6F.
MLA: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Alexsandr Krasulin, 1986.” 12/12/1986. GBH Archives. Web. December 22, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_E50A09667FDF48D5813F71B27A409F6F>.
APA: War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Carter's New World; Interview with Alexsandr Krasulin, 1986. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_E50A09667FDF48D5813F71B27A409F6F
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