Britain’s ‘Independent’ V-Bomber Force and US Nuclear Weapons, 1957–1962
This article examines a secret Anglo-American programme, Project ‘E’, which equipped the RAF’s V-bomber Force with US nuclear weapons for use in wartime. It shows Project ‘E’ was ineffective as a warhead supply programme and, furthermore, that it crippled the operational effectiveness of the V-bomber Force as a whole between 1958 and 1962. This article argues that as a result of Project ‘E’, the V-Force was neither operationally nor politically independent as a nuclear deterrent force. This challenges the traditional view of the V-Force as the benchmark of nuclear independence to assess the Skybolt, Polaris and Trident programmes.
A foregone conclusion? : the United States, Britain and the Trident missile agreements, 1977-1982
Only recently have declassified government documents on the United States 
sale of Trident nuclear missiles to the United Kingdom become available. As 
such, the Trident agreements of 1980 and 1982 have received little scholarly 
attention. This thesis provides the first focused study of the negotiations on 
the supply of Trident C4 and D5 missiles. It does this by drawing upon material 
from the British National Archives, the Jimmy Carter Library and the Ronald 
Reagan Library. 
Specifically, the research focuses on the ways in which the interests of 
the United States influenced the Trident negotiations and British decisionmaking 
on the successor to Polaris. This approach eschews the Anglo-centric 
framework that dominates research on the US-UK nuclear relationship. This 
US-centred approach demonstrates the contingency of the Trident 
negotiations. Both the Reagan and Carter administrations were hard-headed 
in their discussions with the British over the supply of Trident, and only 
consented to do so when it suited Washington. Furthermore, both 
administrations drove a hard bargain over the terms of sale, and sought to 
derive the greatest possible benefit from the deal. US geostrategic interests, 
economic realities and domestic politics influenced the actions of White House 
officials throughout. The sale of Trident only brought modest benefits. As such, 
both US administrations viewed it as helpful to assist the British when it 
coalesced with their overall interests. However, if a Polaris replacement 
clashed with the priorities of the administration, they disregarded British 
interests. As such, the Trident agreements were not a ‘foregone conclusion’ 
due to the logic of Cold War ‘deterrence’, or long-standing US-UK nuclear cooperation, 
but negotiations heavily influenced by the context of the time. As 
such, the study reveals the ways in which the broader political concerns of the 
United States interacted with the US-UK nuclear relationship and nuclear 
decision-making.
Britain since 1945
Notes on Contributors.General Editor's Preface. (Anthony Seldon)Foreword. (The Hon. Raymond G. H. Seitz)Part I: Government and Politics.1. Foreign and Defence Policy. (Christopher Coker)2. The Constitution, Government and Parliament. (Simon James)3. The Political Parties. (Alan Sked)4. From Commonwealth to European Integration. (Jonathan Hollowell) 5. Scotland: Cultural Base and Economic Catalysts. (James Mitchell) 6. Wales since 1945. (Kenneth Morgan)7. Northern Ireland since 1945. (Henry Patterson)8. The Currents of Political Thought. (Roger Eatwell)9. The Civil Service. (Keith Dowding)10. Local Government. (Nirmala Rao)11. The Media. (Michael Bromley)Part II: Society.12. Social Trends, Structures, Values and Behaviour. (Arthur Marwick)13. Women and Social Change 1945-1995. (Jane Lewis)14. Cultural Change. (Jim McGuigan)15. Education. (Anthony Heath)16. Race Relations. (Shamit Saggar)17. Health and Health Care. (Ray Fitzpatrick, Rebecca Surender and Tarani Chandola)18. Science and Information Technology. (Jon Agar)19. Pressure Groups. (Wyn Grant)Part III: Economy.20. Economic Policy. (Stephen Broadberry)21. Employment and the Labour Market. (Duncan Gallie)22. Industrial and Labour Relations. (Chris Wrigley)23. Welfare State since 1945. (Helen Fawcett)Index.