The influence of civilian advisors on american nuclear policies, 1945-1963

The analysis will revolve around some of the major turning points in the history of nuclear weapons. In dealing with the Truman Administration, we will describe the administration's efforts to gain international control of atomic energy and the role of the Manhattan scientists in proposing it. We will see how internal control of atomic energy was delegated to a civilian rather than military authority and how this affected policymaking thereafter. We will then analyze the American reaction to the loss of their atomic monopoly in 1949 and the controversial decision to proceed with the development and testing of the thermonuclear bomb. During the Eisenhower administration, we will see how new efforts towards and international agreement on nuclear weapons originated from civilian advisors, but were sidetracked to suit the interests of some members of the Administration. We will then examine the infamous Oppenheimer hearing and its consequences on scientific advice. Finally, we will see how the technological evolution of the American nuclear arsenal was lead by civilian advisors. Regarding Kennedy, we will explore the origins of the new strategy of flexible response and investigate the process that led to the signing of the LTBT.
In all of these events, the analysis will focus first on the decision-making process that led to important policy choices, and then on the consequences of these choices on the international environment of the Cold War. I will make substantial use of primary sources, such as the documents collected in Foreign Relations of the United States, unclassified documents available on-line and personal accounts of the persons involved. Where possible, I will use quotations to convey the original sense of the words as they were intended by the authors. Lastly, I also referred to the works of qualified scholars to address interpretative issues.
Obviously, the scope of this work required difficult choices on which issues should be included and which should not. My goal is not that of offering a complete and thorough analysis of the role of every civilian advisor, but to analyze single relevant episodes and highlight the influence civilian advisors have had. In the conclusions, I will offer a tentative categorization of the relationship of each President to civilian advice. I will also try to explain the nature and the reasons for the changes that incurred in the relationship between civilian advisors and policy-making in the 18 years I examined.