In 1968, the top American military commander in Saigon activated a plan to bring nuclear weapons into South Vietnam. He wanted them on hand should the U.S. find itself at the brink of defeat. The plan, discovered by the historian Michael Beschloss in recently declassified documents, even got approval from the American commander in the Pacific. But it was forcefully shut down by President Lyndon Johnson, pictured above.
The episode has some modern-day echoes. It was just over a year ago when President Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” against North Korea.
Today, tensions with North Korea have simmered down. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, after meeting with Kim-Jong-un this week, said external inspectors would be allowed into the country’s nuclear test site.
But the Trump administration’s inconsistent approach to nonproliferation may have dented the global campaign, according to one scholar’s analysis. – NYT
