Brueckner-Bethe calculations of nuclear matter

The ideas of the Brueckner-Bethe hole-line expansion are briefly outlined. Four practical tests of its validity are formulated. These tests are applied to recent numerical results for the central potential γ2 and the semirealistic potential γ6(Reid), which contains a tensor force but no spin-orbit force. The results are consistent with the validity of the hole-line expansion. The Brueckner-Bethe results are also consistent, within uncertainties of order 3 MeV, with variational results. (Auth.)