The Historic Growth and Subsequent Atrophy of the U.S. Nuclear Fission Technology and Supply Capability and Possible Lessons Learned for Fusion

The rapid growth of the U.S.\ Nuclear fission capability and the relationship between industry and government from its beginnings in the 1950s to the present, offers some possibly useful insight to the ongoing evolution of the U.S.\ fusion energy capability. Politics within the fusion and fission communities and between each respective community and the government will be considered.