Teaching the Nuclear Age

A History Institute for Teachers

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March 28–29, 2009

Hosted by

Atomic Testing Museum
Las Vegas, Nevada

Sponsored by

The Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Wachman Center
Atomic Testing Museum
American Academy of Diplomacy

Atomic Testing Museum American Academy of Diplomacy

Over 60 years ago, the nuclear age began with weapons that could destroy a city in a single strike. Although nuclear weapons have not been used since their first and only use in 1945, the prospect that nuclear weapons will find their way into the hands of terrorists or rogue regimes is arguably the greatest threat to the world today. This weekend-long program will enable teachers to understand— and teach— the nuclear age with historical perspective.

Topics and Speakers:

Welcoming Remarks
Walter McDougall, Co-Chair, FPRI History Institute for Teachers
What Every American Needs to Know about Nuclear Weapons
Jeremy Bernstein, Professor Emeritus, Stevens Institute of Technology , and author of “Nuclear Weapons: What You Need to Know”
The Role of Nuclear Weapons in International Politics
Andrew L. Ross, Director, Center for Science, Security, and Policy, and Professor of Political Science, University of New Mexico
Harry Truman and the Decision to Drop the Bomb: The Debate Among Historians
Richard B. Frank, author of “Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire”
The Nevada Test Site in History and Today
Troy E. Wade II, Chairman of the Board, Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation
The Nuclear Age in the Classroom
Paul Dickler, Senior Fellow, FPRI’s Wachman Center
Linda Miller, Trustee, Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation
The Question of Arms Control in the Nuclear Era: A Panel Discussion
Hon. Avis Bohlen, former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control
Jim Goodby, Hoover Institution
Moderator: Adam Garfinkle, Editor, The American Interest
Does Nuclear Deterrence Apply in the Age of Terrorism
Adam Garfinkle, Editor, The American Interest
Reflections on Nuclear Weapons and the Cold War
Hans Mark, Professor and John J. McKetta Centennial Energy Chair in Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Classroom lessons

The Plowshare Program: Is There a Peaceful Use for Nuclear Weapons? (38K Microsoft Word document)
Andrew Glasier, Shaker Heights High School, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Radical Islamists, WMD, and the Age of Terror (38K Microsoft Word document)
Slides (112K Microsoft Powerpoint presentation)
Col. W.P. Symolon, USMC (Ret.), Apopka High School, JROTC Dept., Apopka, Florida

Sponsors

Core funding for these programs has been contributed by The Annenberg Foundation. For specific weekends, additional funding has been contributed by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Mr. H.F. Lenfest, and the Stuart Family Foundation.

FPRI Wishes to Thank its 2011 Partners
Who help make all our programs possible.

On November 15th at the FPRI annual dinner Fouad Ajami was presented with the Seventh Annual Benjamin Franklin Public Service Award. The event was attended by over 360 people.
Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr. was dinner chairman.

FPRI 2011 Annual Dinner

Video of keynote address
Reflections on the Arab Spring
Fouad Ajami

Special Partner Event
Al Qaeda and Jihadi Movements After Bin Laden
Christopher Swift

Special Partner Event
The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al Qaeda
Peter Bergen

FPRI Dinner Booklet and Annual report