War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Marvin Atkins, 1987
- Raw Footage
- Interview with Marvin Atkins, 1987
- Contributing Organization
- WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/15-3r0pr7ms37
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- Description
- Episode Description
- Dr. Marvin Atkins was the Director for Offensive and Space Systems in the Defense Department from 1978-1983, and the Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) from 1983-1987. In the interview he discusses the evolution of U.S. missile systems from the 1960s to the time of the interview. He describes the U.S. approach to improving accuracy and survivability in light of Soviet capabilities, about which a great deal was discovered in early 1978. He discusses different areas of U.S. research for developing new missile basing systems, including publicly visible systems and tunnels. He describes the development of the MX missile and the Multiple Protective Structure (MPS) System, also known as the Racetrack system, devised under the Carter Administration. Most of these issues raised significant domestic debates, and Dr. Atkins describes the push and pull with Congress and from segments of the public. For example, he explains the complaints against the MPS, including from Utahans, environmentalists, and the anti-nuclear movement, and the arguments for aiming to deploy 200 MX missiles. Dr. Atkins also discusses the Reagan administration's Strategic Modernization Program. He describes the development process of the Closely Spaced Basing system, also known as Dense Pack, and the superhard silo technology. He also describes the work of the Scowcroft Commission and the development of the hardened mobile launcher.
- Date
- 1987-12-04
- Date
- 1987-12-04
- Asset type
- Raw Footage
- Subjects
- MX (Weapons system); Minuteman (Missile); Closely-spaced basing (Nuclear basing mode); Strategic nuclear forces triad; Nuclear survivability; Multiple Protective Structures (Missile basing system); Intercontinental ballistic missiles -- Mobile basing; Townes, Charles H.; Carnesale, Albert; Dicks, Norman D.; Aspin, Les; United States. President's Commission on Strategic Forces; Brown, Harold, 1927-; Midgetman Missile; Intercontinental ballistic missiles; Guided missile silos; Soviet Union; United States; Military weapons; United States. Air Force; Antinuclear movement; Carter, Jimmy, 1924-; Reagan, Ronald; Soviet Union. Treaties, etc. United States, 1972 May 26 (ABM)
- Rights
- Rights Note:,Rights:,Rights Credit:WGBH Educational Foundation,Rights Type:All,Rights Coverage:,Rights Holder:WGBH Educational Foundation
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Duration
- 00:00:00
- Credits
-
-
Publisher: WGBH Educational Foundation
Writer: Atkins, Marvin C. (Marvin Cleveland)
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
WGBH
Identifier: 8816fdd2dce49667da83c4b4e4631cec0cc2991f (ArtesiaDAM UOI_ID)
Format: video/quicktime
Color: Color
Duration: 00:00:00
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- Citations
- Chicago: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Marvin Atkins, 1987,” 1987-12-04, WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed November 16, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-3r0pr7ms37.
- MLA: “War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Marvin Atkins, 1987.” 1987-12-04. WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. November 16, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-3r0pr7ms37>.
- APA: War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Marvin Atkins, 1987. Boston, MA: WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-3r0pr7ms37