Books like A fiery peace in a cold war by Neil Sheehan

Bernard Schriever, an Air Force chief engineer, steered the development of the first intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that would deter Soviet nuclear superiority during the Cold War. His career spans from early life in a German immigrant community in Texas, through flying Army Air Corps biplanes in the 1930s, to combat in the South Pacific in World War II. Postwar, he confronted the new bipolar world order of U.S.–Soviet rivalry. In the 1950s, inspired by his belief that an unstoppable missile could secure peace, Schriever assembled a team that included figures such as mathematician John von Neumann, missile designer Colonel Edward Hall, and, controversially, his brother Theodore Hall. His efforts were opposed by some contemporaries, including bomber general Curtis Le May, and he faced challenges from former Nazi rocket engineer Wernher von Braun. Schriever’s initiatives were pivotal in shaping domestic policy—obtained support from Eisenhower, navigated crises like the Cuban Missile Crisis, and ultimately oversaw the launch of satellites from Cape Canaveral, opening a new era of space exploration for the United States.

First publish date: 2009