Published: 1 December 2008
Air & Space Power Journal - Winter 2008

Thunder over the Horizon: From V-2 Rockets to Ballistic Missiles by Clayton K. S. Chun. Praeger Security International, imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group (http://www.greenwood.com/psi), 88 Post Road West, P.O. Box 5007, Westport, Connecticut 06881-5007, 2006, 240 pages, $49.95 (hardcover).

At times it’s hard to imagine that the Cold War has been over for almost two decades. Although Clayton Chun’s book Thunder over the Horizon isn’t solely committed to the history of the Cold War, it does provide the reader with an introduction to ballistic missiles and their effect on that conflict. The author describes these concerns and the way they have molded not only US foreign policy but also the international policies of nearly all world regimes.

Chun speaks with a high level of credibility, having served as a missile-launch officer and author of several titles relating to military power. He brings his knowledge of ballistic missiles to the reader in a way that makes historical events relevant to current world events. In the first chapter, which includes several photographs and diagrams, Chun introduces the reader to the whos, whats, and hows of ballistic missiles and their operation. Topics include flight phases, liquid motors, solid motors, and guidance systems, and the first chapter’s summary deals with problems encountered in building these missiles. The author does not go into difficult engineering detail, and most readers will be relieved to know that he uses no mathematical equations to describe any aspect of his subject, instead choosing to give the reader a fundamental knowledgeable of ballistic missiles.

Proceeding from these basics, Chun takes the reader on a journey through the history of these weapons, starting with the German V-2 in World War II, noting the difficulties in both building and defending against it. The major construction problems the Germans experienced—mainly propulsion and guidance—are the same ones countries face today. Even though the Allies did not consider the V-2 a very accurate weapon, they nevertheless had to deal with the threat it posed, throwing considerable resources against the manufacturing, assembly, and launch sites that supported the missile—resources they could have used elsewhere.

The book also offers a history of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, again addressing the difficulty of building and defending against ballistic missiles and relating how the United States put together its force of nuclear ballistic missiles, starting with the Thor and Jupiter systems shortly after the launch of Sputnik I/II by the Soviet Union in 1957. By this time, the Eisenhower administration, feeling that the United States had fallen far behind the Soviet Union in ballistic-missile design and production, triggered the race to build bigger, faster, and better missiles than the Soviets. This jump in missile technology directly supported the manned space program of the 1960s.

A chapter on the Cuban missile crisis not only recounts the events of that crisis but also describes some of the chess-like policy decisions made by the United States, Soviet Union, and Cuba, with the possession of ballistic missiles representing the key piece to winning or losing the game. In another chapter, Chun writes about the war between Iran and Iraq and each country’s attempt to modify existing missiles in order to gain the upper hand. By the end of the war, the ballistic missile had not necessarily become what both countries wanted—an accurate weapon capable of destroying distant targets. The author points out one key concern that has persisted since the Germans’ development of the V-2: that without proper guidance and propulsion, the ballistic missile becomes a terror weapon difficult to defend against and difficult to make accurate.

A chapter on proliferation that describes current ballistic-missile ownership and capability is not just a simple laundry list but includes a brief history of each nation and its rationale for acquiring such capability. The following chapter, on national strategy and policy, covers our interaction with these countries and how their ownership of missiles affects those relationships. Chun concludes the book with a chapter on technology and the part it has played in shaping our history, noting the rivalry between air-delivered weapons and ballistic missiles during the era of Strategic Air Command.

I recommend Thunder over the Horizon to anyone interested in either learning about ballistic missiles or expanding his or her knowledge of these weapons. Even though the Cold War is over, these missiles still play an important part in world politics, especially in light of the current situation in both Iran and North Korea.

Maj Jeffrey James, USAF
Mountain House, California

Disclaimer

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.

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