342 



and missile development. Sputnik I catalyzed the cold war and not 

 until the aftermath of the Cuban missile crisis 6 years later were 

 Soviet-American leaders able to take the first steps decelerating the 

 spiralling pressures of the arms race. Additional impacts were the 

 effect upon the international politics of science, the use of science as 

 a vital element in foreign affairs, and the generation of a remarkable 

 degree of international cooperation and good will in politically non- 

 sensitive pursuits. 



THE EFFECT ON INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE 



The impact of the IGY upon the politics of world science was 

 considerable. Although international scientific adventures had taken 



Elace before the IGY (as discussed in section II of this study), none 

 ad approached the IGY in magnitude. As stated by Gerson, the 

 physical entirety of the IGY was almost majestic, the number of 

 participating nations was impressive, a veritable army of scientists 

 were deployed, the number of participating stations exceeded all 

 expectations, and the cost was astronomical. 160 It was thus inevitable 

 that the IGY should exert considerable influence upon the future con- 

 duct of international science. 



A major influence was the strengthening of old ties among scientists 

 and the forging of many new ones. The previous system of somewhat 

 limited bilateral cooperation in developing and exchanging information 

 was replaced by true international cooperation in coordinated and 

 continuing investigations. Methods developed so successfully by the 

 ICSU and its various unions during the IGY were seen as ideally 

 suited for the furtherance of international cooperation in science, and 

 suggestions were made that these methods should be emulated in the 

 future and used in other scientific areas. 



International organizations like the ICSU and its member nations 

 were considerably strengthened by their roles in the IGY, and thus 

 tsubsequent efforts were made easier. For example, Sullivan commented 

 hat the ICSU, "largely because of the IGY . . . emerged as the 

 world's supreme non-governmental organ in science." 161 The Soviet 

 rocletiy and space scientist, previously leading "a solitary life in his 

 cloistered laboratory cut off from the world scientific community," re- 

 gained contact with the Western world. 162 Furthermore, Western scien- 

 tists gained a deeper appreciation of the quality and value of the work 

 of their Soviet counterparts. The IGY also served to stimulate, on a 

 world wide basis, the interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. 

 Finally, the IGY helped to spur the revival of science in underde- 

 veloped nations newly experiencing their independence, and facili- 

 tated the reopening of major scientific facilities like observatories 

 which had been closed when vacated by scientists returning to their 

 native countries. 



Significantly, the IGY legacy also includes formative influences 

 upon entirely new, governmentally sponsored programs which fre- 

 quently use as models corresponding programs which had been de- 

 veloped during the IGY and then continued after the expiration of 

 the IGY and the IGC-1959 (discussed in section IV). One of these 



'•» Gerson, "Polar Years to IGY," p. 44. 

 "•' Sullivan "The IGY," p. 331. 



'« Senate, ''Soviet Space Programs: Organization [etc.]," p. 23. The role of the Soviet scientist Is also 

 discussed by Sullivan in: "The IGY," p. 327. 



