{"product_id":"soviet-science-and-engineering-in-the-shadow-of-the-cold-war","title":"Soviet Science and Engineering in the Shadow of the Cold War","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Soviet Science and Engineering in the Shadow of the Cold War, the author Hiroshi Ichikawa examines how the 1950s reshaped scientific priorities under geopolitical pressure. This book is for readers who want a historically grounded account of how the Soviet Union mobilized talent and resources to deliver rapid advances in nuclear weapons, civil nuclear power, rocketry, jet aviation, and early computing. The single biggest reason to pick up this volume is its focused narrative on the immediate postwar decade, tracing how military imperatives and state planning accelerated technological achievement in ways that still matter to historians and policy researchers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocused historical scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e Concentrates on the 1950s to show how a single decade transformed Soviet science and engineering priorities for both military and civilian applications.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiscussion of nuclear development:\u003c\/strong\u003e Details the rapid Soviet success in nuclear weapons and the origin of civilian nuclear power in Obninsk in 1954 as pivotal moments.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInterplay of military and science policy:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explains how Cold War tensions mobilized scientific talent into military-related R and D projects across multiple disciplines.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase studies of technology:\u003c\/strong\u003e Considers rockets, jet warplanes, and early computers as examples of risky, costly projects completed quickly after World War II.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistory and policy angle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Balances technical achievement with political context to help readers understand decision making under strategic imperatives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorians of science and technology, graduate students in Cold War studies, and policy scholars will find value in Ichikawa's concentrated treatment of the 1950s. The book is particularly useful for readers seeking an integrated view of how state priorities, military needs, and scientific institutions interacted during a short, intense period of technological change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose looking for a textbook introduction to basic physics or a highly technical engineering manual should look elsewhere; the book is a historical and policy-oriented treatment rather than an engineering design guide. Readers expecting extensive personnel biographies or exhaustive technical schematics may find the emphasis is more on institutional and programmatic developments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eOffers a clear narrative of the 1950s that links military mobilization to rapid scientific gains in the Soviet Union.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eProvides useful context on the first civil nuclear power plant at Obninsk and the broader dawn of the Atomic Age.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePlaces technological projects like rockets and early computers within political and resource constraints of the era.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eThe focus on a single decade limits depth on later Cold War developments and long-term technological trajectories.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoviet Science and Engineering in the Shadow of the Cold War\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeries\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRoutledge Studies in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHiroshi Ichikawa\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHistorical period\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1950s postwar decade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGeographic focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoviet Union\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain themes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNuclear development, rockets, jet aviation, computers, state mobilization\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIchikawa's study is a concise, thoughtful account for readers who want a historically informed explanation of how the Soviet Union achieved rapid scientific and engineering advances under Cold War pressures. It is good value for historians and policy analysts who need a focused narrative on the 1950s and the institutional forces that produced early nuclear power and other key technologies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book cover Soviet nuclear weapons development?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; it discusses how the Soviet Union achieved rapid success in nuclear weapon development during the early Cold War years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs there coverage of civilian nuclear power?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; the book highlights the operation of the world's first civil nuclear power plant in Obninsk in 1954 as a key milestone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho would benefit most from this book?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistorians of science, graduate students, and policy researchers interested in Cold War technological mobilization will gain the most from this volume.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hiroshi Ichikawa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48261773983963,"sku":"0367585227","price":47.19,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/71MeKt5sWZL._SL1360.jpg?v=1771061985","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/soviet-science-and-engineering-in-the-shadow-of-the-cold-war","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}