The Taming of the Screw (2000)
The article discusses a proposal for an exhibit on nuclear submarines at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. The author faced initial silence from a group of naval experts when suggesting the inclusion of classified submarine technology. Despite the challenges, there was a glimmer of hope for further exploration of the idea after engaging with a Pentagon representative.
- ▪The author proposed an exhibit on nuclear submarines to a group of naval experts.
- ▪Initial reactions included silence and skepticism regarding the proposal's feasibility.
- ▪A Pentagon representative indicated that certain classified aspects might be declassified for the exhibition.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
by Paul Forsythe Johnston Curator of Maritime History National Museum of American History I stopped talking after about three minutes. Dead silence and utter stillness greeted my proposal to a sizeable gathering of retired U.S. Navy admirals, former submarine captains, experts in naval intelligence, nuclear propulsion engineers, and current submariners of various ranks. Eventually, peoples' eyes began to slide around the table, gauging each others' reactions to what I had said. Maybe they thought I was joking or deliberately provoking, but I wasn't. Nobody said a word, so I started in again, detailing my special interest in the subject and describing its lowly 19th century origins.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Si.
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