Accessibility links
nuclear war nuclear war
Stories About

nuclear war

Wednesday

The game theory that led to nuclear standoffs
Unknown/Wikimedia

The Indicator from Planet Money

The game theory that led to nuclear standoffs

Last week, Vladimir Putin vowed to make new nuclear weapons and consider placing them close to NATO countries. Meanwhile, here in the US, the government boosted its nuclear weapon spending by 18% between 2022 and 2023.

The game theory that led to nuclear standoffs

Listen · 9:26
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967395/1255201364" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Putin warns of nuclear war if NATO sends troops to Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual state of the nation address in Moscow on Thursday. Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine invasion — explained

Putin warns of nuclear war if NATO sends troops to Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued explicit nuclear threats to the West, even as he assured Russians their country could both win the war in Ukraine and thrive economically.

Saturday

Opinion: The specter of nuclear Armageddon

Russian missiles roll in Red Square in Moscow. President Vladimir Putin has warned that he wouldn't hesitate to use nuclear weapons to ward off Ukraine's attempt to reclaim control of its occupied regions. AP hide caption

toggle caption
AP

Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: The specter of nuclear Armageddon

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on President Vladimir Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons in Russia's war against Ukraine.

Opinion: The specter of nuclear Armageddon

Listen · 2:23
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1129241636/1129295240" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Saturday

As Rhetoric Ramps Up, Are Today's Kids Worried About Nuclear War?

Fallout shelter signs, like this one, still hang on buildings around the U.S. Travis S./Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
Travis S./Flickr

Opinion

Simon Says

As Rhetoric Ramps Up, Are Today's Kids Worried About Nuclear War?

NPR's Scott Simon remembers the era of "duck and cover" and making grisly jokes with other kids about nuclear war. But he also remembers the nightmares, and hopes kids aren't simlarly troubled now.

As Rhetoric Ramps Up, Are Today's Kids Worried About Nuclear War?

Listen · 3:07
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/542910251/542998657" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

In The Event Of Attack, Here's How The Government Plans 'To Save Itself'

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex was completed in the mid-1960s. The tunnels extend thousands of feet into Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, Colo. Courtesy Simon & Schuster hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy Simon & Schuster

Author Interviews

In The Event Of Attack, Here's How The Government Plans 'To Save Itself'

Fresh Air

In Raven Rock, Garrett Graff describes the bunkers designed to protect U.S. leaders in the event of a catastrophe. One Cold War-era plan put the post office in charge of cataloging the dead.

In The Event Of Attack, Here's How The Government Plans 'To Save Itself'

Listen · 37:52
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/533711528/533830994" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday