Written for anyone interested in arms control and disarmament issues as well as military history, this book reviews the historic means and techniques for arms control such as demilitarization, regulation of arms manufacturing, stabilizing international environments and the outlawing of war. A section also reviews nuclear weaponry before and after the Cold War and the emergence of biological and bacterial delivery systems.

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History has shown that war is terrible, but it would be even be more horrifying if nations had not attempted to place
limits on armed conflict. Few readers could have imagined the painstaking negotiations involved in reaching
agreements placing restrictions on weaponry, torture, and other unsavory components of modern war until Burns, a
recognized expert in foreign and national security affairs, published this new book. The author (emer., history,
California State Univ., Los Angeles) highlights the historical antecedents that are at the heart of modern weapons
control accords. But he goes further than that and outlines how victors sought to disarm their former adversaries, as
Rome did with Carthage following the Punic Wars or the Allies did in Germany after WW II. Today, however, the
issues are more complex and require considerable engagement on the world stage. Burns chronicles the progression
of arms negotiations, allowing readers to visualize the intricacy of arms control and grasp the difficulties of finding
common ground in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Whether the world's diplomatic efforts will be
successful remains to be seen. Still, a major contribution. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.

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