In Britain and the Bomb Bill Nuttall considers Britain's national journey from Empire to Europe and the transition of British nuclear weapons from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Navy.

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Back to today’s episode, the story pivots around a single day in April 1965. The recently-established Labour government very publicly cancelled the much-vaunted TSR2 nuclear strike bomber, causing dismay among aviation enthusiasts. The passing decades have done little to diminish the controversy and a pervasive sense of nostalgic melancholy about a lost Britain.

 We welcome Bill Nuttall to our Cold War conversation…

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0:00 Introduction and overview of the episode

0:37 Bill Nuttall's role in the German Democratic Republic and discussion on "Britain and the Bomb"

2:04 Sponsor: Request for listener support and acknowledgment of patrons

2:31 The cancellation of TSR2 nuclear strike bomber: Insights and Context

7:01 Deep dive into the advanced features and significance of the TSR2 aircraft

12:23 Impact of Duncan Sandy's white paper on the Air Force and industrial policy

15:48 Consequences of Gary Powers incident and the development of standoff missiles

21:28 The Cold War as a technological chess game: Strategic decisions and technological advancements

26:17 Change in UK government and its impact on nuclear decision making

31:53 Understanding nuclear deterrence, Britain's debate, and defense of Moscow

35:17 The impact of technology cancellations on Britain's national image and identity

39:06 Closing remarks and podcast outro

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