What role did nuclear experts play in executive branch, nuclear-related decision-making during the initial (and crucial) phases of development for weapons of mass destruction? To address this question the specific case of the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion project (ANP), which spanned the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations, is examined in detail. At one time 'near and dear' to the air force, the ANP now seems almost ridiculous. The nuclear jet envisioned by the Air Force would be capable of extremely long-term continuous flight without refueling. Commencing in 1948 under the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE) and the AEC Lexington Project located at MIT, the project ballooned into a massive research and development effort that spanned almost 15 years, included about two dozen governmental and private institutions and consumed over ;Several research priorities arise in identifying the role that nuclear scientists played concerning the fate of nuclear propulsion for aircraft: How did scientists transmit recommendations to decision-makers in the executive branch? What kinds of influence did scientists use to affect nuclear doctrine and resultant weapons systems under the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations? Did scientists become involved actively in the decision-making process and at a stage early enough to influence the outcome? Taken together, the above-noted questions about scientists and nuclear policy constitute an investigation of the content and process of decision-making for a major issue, with implications that carry forward to this day.;The introductory chapter indicates that the dissertation rests at the intersection of three related but distinct literatures: epistemic communities, science and government, and security policy as public policy. This is followed by Chapter Two, which summarizes and evaluates the existing literature. Chapters Three through Six contain the four stages of the case study of the ANP project. This substantive knowledge used to assess the success of scientific advice. Finally, Chapter Seven considers the findings in a wider context and identifies priorities for further research.
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