• The Dead Hand

  • The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and its Dangerous Legacy
  • By: David E. Hoffman
  • Narrated by: Bob Walter
  • Length: 20 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,515 ratings)

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The Dead Hand  By  cover art

The Dead Hand

By: David E. Hoffman
Narrated by: Bob Walter
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Publisher's summary

“A tour de force of investigative history.” —Steve Coll

The Dead Hand is the suspense-filled story of the people who sought to brake the speeding locomotive of the arms race, then rushed to secure the nuclear and biological weapons left behind by the collapse of the Soviet Union—a dangerous legacy that haunts us even today.The Cold War was an epoch of massive overkill. In the last half of the twentieth century the two superpowers had perfected the science of mass destruction and possessed nuclear weapons with the combined power of a million Hiroshimas. What’s more, a Soviet biological warfare machine was ready to produce bacteria and viruses to sicken and kill millions.

In The Dead Hand, a thrilling narrative history drawing on new archives and original research and interviews, David E. Hoffman reveals how presidents, scientists, diplomats, soldiers, and spies confronted the danger and changed the course of history. The Dead Hand captures the inside story in both the United States and the Soviet Union, giving us an urgent and intimate account of the last decade of the arms race. With access to secret Kremlin documents, Hoffman chronicles Soviet internal deliberations that have long been hidden. He reveals that weapons designers in 1985 laid a massive “Star Wars” program on the desk of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to compete with President Reagan, but Gorbachev refused to build it. He unmasks the cover-up of the Soviet biological weapons program. He tells the exclusive story of one Soviet microbiologist’s quest to build a genetically engineered super-germ—it would cause a mild illness, a deceptive recovery, then a second, fatal attack. And he details the frightening history of the Doomsday Machine, known as the Dead Hand, which would launch a retaliatory nuclear strike if the Soviet leaders were wiped out. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the dangers remained. Soon rickety trains were hauling unsecured nuclear warheads across the Russian steppe; tons of highly-enriched uranium and plutonium lay unguarded in warehouses; and microbiologists and bomb designers were scavenging for food to feed their families. The Dead Hand offers fresh and startling insights into Reagan and Gorbachev, the two key figures of the end of the Cold War, and draws colorful, unforgettable portraits of many others who struggled, often valiantly, to save the world from the most terrifying weapons known to man.

©2009 David Hoffman (P)2009 Random House
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

“Authoritative and chilling. . . . A readable, many-tentacled account of the decades-long military standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union. . . . The Dead Hand is deadly serious, but this story can verge on pitch-black comedy—Dr. Strangelove as updated by the Coen Brothers.”—The New York Times

“Revealing, alarming and compelling throughout. . . . This richly reported account vividly chronicles the insanity of the arms race. . . . Taut, crisply written. . . . The Dead Hand puts human faces on the bureaucracy of mutual assured destruction, even as it underscores the institutional inertia that drove this monster forward. . . . A fine book indeed.”—T. J. Stiles, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“In a compelling narrative packed with vivid detail and telling quotations, Hoffman tells the story of how Reagan and Gorbachev halted the arms race.”—The Times Literary Supplement

What listeners say about The Dead Hand

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opening

I would strongly disagree with the reviewer who called it "asinine." The author is not sympathetic to one side or another, he mostly presents a factual history of the end of the cold war. He DOES however attempt to relate what Gorbachev and Reagan were thinking during tense moments by quoting from their personal notes and diaries. It does allow the author to paint a more human picture of Gorbachev, one of a man who was interested in ending the arms race. Perhaps this ins't palatable to someone who grew up mid-century and understandably objects to any gentle portrayal of Soviet leadership.

It also paints an interesting picture of Reagan - who like Bush II - was obsessed by technological possibility. It makes Reagan seem almost naive in his conviction that technology could somehow bring peace to the world through SDI. The moment where Gorbachev offers Reagan complete nuclear disarmament in exchange for non-deployment of space based lasers - only to have Reagan reject the offer - is amazing. Having grown up at the end of the last century, much of this material is new relative to what you learn in standard history courses (and I took plenty of them). It's been a truly enlightening read to understand how we've arrived at our current state. A recent issue of Foreign Affairs has an essay suggesting that we are still in a cold war defense mentality - expanding our weapons systems and technology - when in fact this strategy no longer serves our national interest. And this book explains exactly why we think this way.

With regard to content - the "asinine" reviewer is correct. There isn't much about The Dead Hand aside from a general overview. But the true purpose of the book is to help understand the development and legacy of weapons of mass destruction created by the Soviets. It is easily one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to and an essential read to understand the end of the cold war.

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48 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Credible study into Russia's weapons programmes

This certainly was an in depth study of the weapons systems created by both the Soviet Union and to a lesser extent America; the politics surrounding them, and the consequences of their creation. It is clear the author researched the subject deeply in this academic standard publication. That some subjects were only discussed in passing was because they were peripheral to the subject of the book; lightly covered is not the same as simplistic and this is far from simplistic book.
It is rare to find a book of this standard in audible. Usually they are in university bookstores. That Foreign Affairs rates this book highly speaks for itself also. More please.
Essential listening for cold war students.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Informative

This book fills the listener in on what took place during the Cold War Arms Race and humanizes it in terms of the key players. Gripping, alarming, troubling - everything you thought took place did, but not always in the way(s) you thought. For example, it came as a deep revelation to Ronald Regan that the Russians were afraid of the US and what the leadership might do. His thinking was turned on its head. This is a history of the Cold War and how it came to an end. More importantly, it is informative history filled with insights and lessons to be drawn. Hoffman's detailed research of Russian and US documents and remembrance yields here a very valuabe addition to our understanding of that era. Hoffman's writing is wonderful and the reading of Bob Walter is more than adquate for the task. This is not dry history...it is worth the time of anyone even tangentially interested in the period covered.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Asinine

This is a waste of paper pulp! The picture it paints of Ronald Regan has ABSOLUTELY NO basis in reality. The author's presentation is one which would not be out of place in the works of one of Leonid Brezhnev's simpering, sycophantic "court writers." It presents an utterly simplistic view of the Soviet Union and glosses over a great many issues. It is written in a disjointed style with competitively little material actually devoted to the books namesake, namely the Dead Hand system.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good Read, But No So Much About the Dead Hand

This book is a well-researched informative read, although the title is somewhat misleading: while the Dead Hand and nuclear weapons are covered, more detailed exposition is devoted to Soviet-era chemical and biological weapons programs and the relevant political/diplomatic events preceding and during the unraveling of the USSR. Reagan and Gorbachev are discussed at length, as is the history and operation of the Soviet anthrax program. Nuclear weapons and pre-1980 US-USSR relations and weapons programs are covered, but to a lesser extent than one might expect given the book's title.

Though my curiosity re: the dead hand hasn't been fully satiated, there are some fascinating details and insights in this book. The author has succeeded in shedding some new light on a topic shrouded in secrecy, and, as such, helped communicate the terrible nature of these weapons, the political dynamics that led to their creation, and the successes and failures of the mechanisms setup to curb their proliferation.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well researched with a lot of Soviet perspective

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dead Hand to be better than the print version?

This is an excellent book on Cold War history. What makes it unique is that there is a lot of discussion of what actually happened in the Soviet Union and what Soviet leaders where thinking which is severely lacking in other books on this topic. To get a true picture of historical events, you must always consider both sides of the story before you can start to see past the propaganda to what really happened. This book is the best source I have found for this so far.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was unaware of the extent of the Soviet bio-weapons programs. Shocking and scary stuff.

Any additional comments?

Well worth the time if you are interested in Cold War history. Highly recommended.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and Scary

I lived through these times but purposely did not read the paper or listen to the news. I knew I had no control over events and I did not want to think about them. As I child of the 60's who went to a school which had a sign with an arrow to the "Fall Out Shelter" I assumed that nuclear war was a matter of when. I half heard the news through th 80's through osmosis.

This book was great. Now the greatest danger is past it is great to read about it. I think the author gives Reagen far too much credit. Gorbachev truly deserves credit for really trying a new way. Maybe Reagen deserves credit for realizing Gorbachev was a truly different leader.

Anyways we were lucky that a nuclear war didn't happen by accident.

There is still a lot of scary stuff in existence in the world - pathogens and chemicals and nuclear materials. But somehow it feels a lot more under control.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Life can only be understood in retrospect ....

This is an extraordinary story, compellingly told from different perspectives - from the victims of an anthrax 'accident' at a secret laboratory, to a well-informed scientist defecting to the West, to Reagan and Gorbachev's private thoughts as they struggled to understand each other's beliefs, motives and ultimate goals. Living through this period of history simply provided the signpost events that were public knowledge at the time - and little or nothing of the context in which those events were set, or the secrets that are required to truly make sense of what was happening. David Hoffman does an extraordinary job in weaving multiple historical strands into a grand tapestry. The fears that we common people harboured about nuclear annihilation, or chemical or biological devastation were well placed, and if not for some well-intentioned people on both sides of the divide, and a lot of luck, those fears might well have been realised. It places the current fears concerning weapons proliferation in the Middle East - particularly in Iran - into stark relief. It also emphasises the absolute necessity of open, honest dialogue, and accurate knowledge in dealing with belligerent states. Bob Walter does a superb job of narration, and convinced me of his command of Russian pronunciation. Highly recommended.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly researched and compellingly conveyed

Would you listen to The Dead Hand again? Why?

For those interested in the Cold War and its legacy this is a terrific book. Three things remain with me after listening to it. First, the massive resources, both human and material, that were devoted to either our mutual destruction or the prevention of our mutual destruction (depending on where in the mad circle you choose to begin your analysis) are a sad comment on human nature. Second, notwithstanding the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the danger remains and is likely greater. Third, the legacy of the arms race is not merely nuclear weapons but also biological weapons, and given the relative ease of making those weapons the danger they pose is that much greater.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dead Hand?

The specific events that I remember from the news assumed a greater signifance and were put in context. The Chernobyl disaster for example and the shooting down of Korean Airlines Flight 007.

What does Bob Walter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mr. Walter read the book well. There is a hint of accent in the words attributed to Eastern European characters but it is not over done. He did not insert himself into the account by conveying belief or disbelief at various claims made by the participants in these events.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • DS
  • 08-21-15

a must read on cold war history

Liberals should read this book. Conservatives are already paranoid enough. Reagan called the USSR the "evil empire". Maybe. They were definitely the "paranoid, irresponsible empire". This book is certainly worth the investment of your time.

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2 people found this helpful