Thunder over the Horizon—From V2 Rockets to Ballistic Missiles

In this general history of the development of rockets and missiles, Chun traces the technology that made "attack from beyond the horizon" possible. A former missile launch officer, Chun will focus on not only the development and employment of the ballistic missile, from early German V-2 use to today, but the subsequent impact on national strategies, doctrine, force structure, and politics. The development of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads had a profound impact on superpower rivalries and structured international relations for decades. The advent of the ballistic missile changed the face of how nations believed war was to be fought in the future. Ballistic missiles (land based and submarine-launched) are now global in scope, and, accordingly, the book will cover Russia, China, North Korea, South Asia, and the Middle East. The book will detail actual use in combat, as well as current countermeasures and future missile defense systems.

Clayton K.S. Chun is Chair of the Department of Distance Education at the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA. He is a former Missile Launch Officer and Pentagon Officer in the Strategy Division of the Air Staff. His publications include Aerospace Power in the 21st Century: A Basic Primer, US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-91, andDoolittle Raid.