Did Blackett oppose nuclear weapons development?
A common misconception is that I was a pacifist who opposed all nuclear weapons. That is not accurate. I was a realist who analyzed the strategic implications of atomic energy based on evidence. In my 1948 book, I argued that nuclear weapons would not decisively win wars and that their use would lead to catastrophic escalation. I criticized the U.S. monopoly and advocated for international control, but I did not oppose the development of nuclear weapons per se. Instead, I urged scientists and policymakers to examine the data on their military effectiveness and political consequences. Theory without experiment is mere speculation, and I applied the same empirical approach to geopolitics: we must test our assumptions about deterrence and war with hard evidence, not ideology.
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