Provides a detailed examination of how the former Soviet Union became a superpower. Takes the reader step-by-step through the development of Soviet nuclear weapons technology & the development of the systems needed to deliver those weapons to targets in the U.S. Drawing on secret, recently declassified Soviet documents & articles, as well as recent revelations from KGB & CIA files, Zaloga sheds new light on the role of Klaus Fuchs & the Rosenbergs, the so-called atomic spies of the late 40s & early 50s. A chapter on the 1962 Cuban missile crisis provides a unique perspective on that critical Cold War showdown. Photos.