A Technical and Strategic Critique
-- Former judge and legal scholar Thomas J. Yeggy, author of five novels addressing U.S. nuclear war strategy, has released a detailed review of Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen, examining the plausibility of the book’s central narrative and its depiction of nuclear escalation.
Jacobsen’s book presents a worst-case sequence of events triggered by a limited missile launch that rapidly expands into global nuclear conflict. While promoted as a realistic nonfiction account, Yeggy contends that the scenario overlooks technical constraints, institutional safeguards, and strategic realities that shape real-world nuclear policy.
In his review, Yeggy challenges the missile capabilities and available fissile material attributed to North Korea, citing published assessments indicating that the country’s arsenal is limited in yield, range, and accuracy. He also disputes the likelihood of total US missile defense failure, noting improvements in interceptor performance and surveillance systems.
The analysis further addresses the portrayal of Romeo class submarine-based attacks, outlining extensive U.S. and allied maritime detection networks designed to prevent undetected launches within 300 miles of the west coast. Yeggy also examines the book’s depiction of command authority of US nuclear retaliatory forces and warning timelines, arguing that decision-making is presented as far more compressed and constrained than it is in practice.
Yeggy acknowledges the book’s effectiveness in conveying the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war but cautions readers against accepting the scenario as operationally realistic. “Presenting the President with a Hobson’s choice of suicide or surrender under the limited scope of the initial attack is inaccurate” Yeggy adds.
“The danger is not discussing nuclear risk,” Yeggy writes, “but suggesting catastrophe is unavoidable despite existing safeguards.”
He concludes that while Nuclear War: A Scenario raises important questions, clearer distinctions between speculative narrative and operational reality are needed.
See the full article: http://www.thomasjyeggy.com/blog/nuclear-war-a-scenario-by-annie-jacobsen-a-review
Thomas J. Yeggy is the author of five historical fiction novels addressing U.S. nuclear policy during the early Cold War period.
He holds undergraduate degrees in English and psychology and is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. He practiced law in Iowa and Illinois and served as the mental health and substance abuse judge for Scott County, Iowa, for more than 25 years, authoring more than 1,500 judicial opinions.
Books by Thomas J. Yeggy are available at
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=thomas+j+yeggy
This analysis is published by Parallax Publishing, an independent publishing house focused on US nuclear policy, history, and strategic planning.
Contact Info:
Name: Thomas J. Yeggy
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Organization: Parallax Publishing
Website: https://www.thomasjyeggy.com
Release ID: 89179584
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