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Atomic weapons

The 150-megaton thermonuclear explosion at Bikini Atoll on 1 March 1954 was one of a series of nuclear test explosions carried out by major powers in the 1950s.

The 15-megaton thermonuclear explosion at Bikini Atoll on 1 March 1954 was one of a series of nuclear test explosions carried out by major powers in the 1950s.
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Britain placed great importance on the political and diplomatic status of strategic nuclear weapons and made considerable financial sacrifices to obtain them.

Related documents

Cooperation in the Second World War

Cabinet Memorandum. International Control of Atomic Energy: Prime Minister's Memorandum. 5 November 1945 (PDF, 0.712MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. Atomic Energy. 8 November 1945 (PDF, 1.194MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4 App 1. Atomic Energy. 8 November 1945 (PDF, 1.194MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Atomic Energy - International Control. 15 November 1945 (PDF, 1.826MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Atomic Energy - Prime Minister's mission to Washington. 22 November 1945 (PDF, 1.584MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Anglo-American Relations. 10 April 1958 (PDF, 2.261MB)

The McMahon Act

Cabinet Conclusion 4. Atomic Energy. 11 February 1952 (PDF, 0.672MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Nuclear Energy: amendment of United States legislation. 1 July 1958 (PDF, 1.204MB)

Uranium stocks

Cabinet Memorandum. International control of atomic Energy: Prime Minister's memorandum. 5 November 1945 (PDF, 0.712MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4 App 1. Atomic Energy. 8 November 1945 (PDF, 1.194MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4 App 1. Atomic Energy. 8 November 1945 (PDF, 1.194MB)

American Atomic Energy Act of 1954

Cabinet Conclusion 13. Nuclear weapons: tests in 1957. 16 April 1953. (PDF, 2.506 MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Facilities for United States submarines in Scotland. 13 September 1960 (PDF, 0.964MB)

The new Atomic Energy Act of 1958

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Ballistic missiles. 12 February 1958 (PDF, 1.878MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Ballistic missiles. 18 February 1958 (PDF, 1.278MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Intermediate range ballistic missiles. 11 February 1958 (PDF, 1.111MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Ballistic missiles. 20 February 1958 (PDF, 0.673MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Intermediate range ballistic missiles. 24 February 1958. (PDF, 0.464MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Anglo-American relations. 10 April 1958 (PDF, 2.261MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Nuclear Energy: amendment of United States legislation. 1 July 1958 (PDF, 1.204MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Nuclear Energy. 3 July 1958. (PDF, 1.287MB)

Skybolt missiles

Cabinet Memorandum. Defence White Paper 1960. 8 February 1960 (PDF, 3.206MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Nuclear weapons. 13 April 1960 (PDF, 0.939MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Skybolt. Note by the Minister of Defence. 20 June 1960 (PDF, 0.684MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Nuclear weapons: Skybolt and Polaris. 20 June 1960 (PDF, 1.080MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Blue Streak: space research. 19 July 1960 (PDF, 3.566MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Blue Streak: note by the Prime Minister. 20 July 1960 (PDF, 0.296MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Space research: Blue Streak. 21 July 1960 (PDF, 1.896MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 8. Space research: Blue Streak. 30 November 1961 (PDF, 2.009MB)

Polaris missiles

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Bermuda meeting 1961. 3 January 1962 (PDF, 1.288MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Bahamas meeting. 21 December 1962 (PDF, 0.798MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Prime Minister's visit to Canada and the United States April 1962. 3 May 1962 (PDF, 0.565MB)

NATO

Cabinet Conclusion 4. NATO Council Meeting. 14 March 1963 (PDF, 1.757MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. NATO Nuclear Force and European Policy. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 11 March 1963 (PDF, 0.418MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 23 May 1963 (PDF, 1.501MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. NATO Nuclear Force: Mixed Manned Component. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 28 May 1963 (PDF, 0.908MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. NATO Nuclear Force: Mixed Manned Component. Memorandum by the Minister of Defence. 28 May 1963 (PDF, 0.817MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Defence and Oversea Policy. 26 November 1964 (PDF, 2.733MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Prime Minister's Visit to Washington and Ottawa. 11 December 1964 (PDF, 1.540MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Atlantic Nuclear Force. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 26 March 1965 (PDF, 1.389MB)

Search using Atomic energy The McMahon Act Atomic Energy Act

Further reading

Baylis, J., Ambiguity and deterrence: British Nuclear Strategy, 1945-1964 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995)
Barnaby, F. & Holdstock D., The British nuclear weapons programmes, 1952- 2002 (London: Frank Cass, 2003)
Moore, R., The Royal Navy and nuclear weapons (London: Routledge, 2001)
Paterson, R.H., Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent: from before the V-bomber to beyond Trident (London: Frank Cass, 1997)

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