First use of nuclear weapons has come under challenge from many different directions: church synods, international lawyers, in debates at the UN, and from strategic thinkers. First published in 1984, this book takes stock for and against no-first-use and examines the political, military and arms control implications of such a commitment.

Preface. Part 1: No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons – An Overview No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons - An Overview Frank Blackaby, Jozef Goldblat and Sverre Lodgaard Part 2: No-First-Use – Main Arguments for and Against Nuclear Weapons and the Atlantic Alliance McGeorge Bundy, George F. Kennan, Robert S. McNamara and Gerard Smith. Nuclear Weapons and the Preservation of Peace Karl Kaiser, Georg Leber, Alois Mertes and Franz-Jozef Schulze Part 3: Discussion Papers 1. The Necessity, Preconditions and Consequences of a No-First-Use Policy Horst Afheldt 2. The No-First-Use Debate and the Theory of Thresholds Lawrence Freedman 3. Alternatives to the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Daniel Frei 4. No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons Shalheveth Freier 5. The Atom Serves But One Master Pierre M. Gallois 6. No-First-Use – A First Step in Eliminating Nuclear Weapons Alfonso García Robles 7. Views on a Commitment to No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons Cai Mengsun 8. On the Question of Non-Resort to the First Use of Nuclear Weapons Mikhail A. Milshtein 9. Should the United States Commit Itself to Not Being the First to Use Nuclear Weapons? Paul C. Warnke. Appendix I. Declarations on Security Assurances to Non-Nuclear Weapon States made by the Five Nuclear Weapon States. Appendix II. Additional Protocol II to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco). Appendix III. References to the No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons Made in the General Debate of UNSSOD II. Appendix IV. UN Resolutions Adopted in 1983. Index.