Russia and the US in the Cold War arms race

Abstract

Frank von Hippel’s invaluable firsthand account (Physics Today, September 2013, page 41)—about the influence of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) on defusing the Cold War arms race—deservedly reflects the leadership and influence that he and others contributed. With regard to supportive and complementary activities involving other American and European NGOs, his focused chronicle is unavoidably incomplete. A supplement to the backstage narrative can be found in reference 11. A. DeVolpi, Nuclear Insights: The Cold War Legacy, Amazon.com, 2009. 9780977773428, especially its first volume.When the original Federation of American Scientists (FAS) chapter at the University of Chicago migrated in the 1950s to Argonne National Laboratory, additional experienced physicists and nuclear engineers joined the group, which continued its public-interest activities. The chapter provided indispensable technical credibility to various NGOs, ultimately including the multifaceted arms-control collaborations of volunteer professionals. Because of the intimidating Cold War cultural atmosphere for untenured scientists, that conscientious support often resulted in personal and occupational sacrifice in professional employment, promotion, prospective funding, and security clearances.Active and retired national laboratory scientists who worked on nuclear weapons and reactors also provided unsanctioned professional contributions through voluntary technical consultation and advice, partly reflected in von Hippel’s reference 9.In addition, there were contributions by specialists from other disciplines and by eminent political figures, professional organizations, segments of the media, venturesome academics, and benevolent funding sources. Peace movements in the West, along with Soviet refuseniks and high-level apparatchiks, were important standard-bearers, often arrayed against entrenched defense establishments and national-defense hardliners who relied on worst-case analysis and political intractability. The Natural Resources Defense Council, under the leadership of Thomas Cochran and Christopher Paine, was an American NGO that indeed had a sustained groundbreaking role, along with the FAS.Amplification of unofficial American collaboration with the Committee of Soviet Scientists came about as European NGOs gradually expanded their own multilateral activities related to aspects of both nuclear and nonnuclear weapons during the Cold War confrontation and its post-Soviet aftermath.These remarks augment von Hippel’s article and do not detract from his widely recognized leadership.REFERENCESection:ChooseTop of pageREFERENCE <<CITING ARTICLES1. A. DeVolpi, Nuclear Insights: The Cold War Legacy, Amazon.com, 2009. 9780977773428, Google Scholar© 2014 American Institute of Physics.