The Human Button

I can’t recommend highly enough the BBC Radio program “The Human Button,” which explores the human element of the British nuclear deterrent. The program interviews a number of former government officials and military officers, from Secretary of State for Defence Denis Healey to bomber pilots and submarine commanders. The most interesting parts involve the “inherently incredible threat” critique of deterrence theory, which questions whether or not decision-makers up and down the chain of command would ever actually push the button, even in the case of a nuclear attack. Fascinating bits include:

• An interview with Lord Denis Healey, who indicated that he would not have ordered nuclear retaliation against the Soviet Union, even if a Soviet attack had destroyed the UK. He had to keep this secret during exercises, in order to keep his job.
• An old interview with Prime Minister James Callaghan, who indicated that he would have retaliated, even if the UK had already been destroyed.
• A discussion of the “Letters of Last Resort” which are handwritten by each Prime Minister upon ascension to office. Kept in a safe in each of the Royal Navy’s four ballistic missile submarines, the letters were to be opened and read if the UK was destroyed by nuclear attack before the PM could give an order to the nuclear forces. The letters (which of course would have been written prior to whatever crisis precipitated the attack), advised the submarine commander to undertake one of four actions; retaliate, not retaliate, use his own judgment, or turn over his command to Australian or American authorities.

In any case, take a listen; the program will likely be up for only a limited amount of time.

Hat tip to Jon.