Ally or critic? The United States' response to South African Nuclear development, 1949-1980

This article analyzes the role of the United States in and reaction to South African nuclear development from its inception in 1949 to the end of the Carter Administration, within the framework of the ColdWar objectives of the United States and the anti-communism of the South African Apartheid Government. As early as 1965, South Africa hinted at developing nuclear weapons; yet the response from the United States remained placid and nuclear cooperation between the two countries continued. Thus, when the Ford Administration at the end of 1976 took the first step in the direction of limiting United States' nuclear cooperation with South Africa, it was already too late to stem South Africa's build-up of a nuclear arsenal.