A defense analyst who served on the front lines of the struggle for military parity, the author was intensely engaged in the efforts of the U.S. technical, military and diplomatic communities to assess, counter and of course to seek to outperform the Soviet Union from 1952 to 1989. His studies, tested by many and refuted by none, show that the Soviets had established overwhelming strategic military superiority in the 1970s and 1980s. His analyses of planned U.S. weapons systems vis-a-vis the Soviet's strong suit ran counter to accepted wisdom among many high-ranking military officers, Washington insiders and major technology firms who had lucrative contracts at stake — including his employers. Carpenter was fired by Bell and variously threatened by I.B.M., and the K.G.B. had a photo-file on him. They understood his conclusions were accurate. Just prior to retirement, the author also provided exclusive analyses to Ambassador Max Kampelman, contributing to successful arms negotiations that provided stability and led to essential strategic parity for the next 20-odd years. (By the way, could it be that it was the attainment of a position of military superiority that allowed the Soviet Union room to reformulate itself in the late 1980s and 1990s, renegotiating its relationships with the republics of the "near abroad" on commercial terms rather than as dependencies?)