In the clash of ideologies represented by the Cold War, even the
heavens were not immune to militarization. Satellites and space
programs became critical elements among the national security
objectives of both the United States and the Soviet Union.
According toUSPresidents and the Militarization of Space,
1946-1967, three American presidents in succession shared a
fundamental objective of preserving space as a weapons-free
frontier for the benefit of all humanity. Between 1953 and 1967
Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson all saw nonaggressive
military satellite development, as well as the civilian space
program, as means to favorably shape the international community's
opinion of the scientific, technological, and military capabilities
of the United States. Sean N. Kalic's reinterpretation of the
development of US space policy, based on documents declassified in
the past decade, demonstrates that a single vision for the
appropriate uses of space characterized American strategies across
parties and administrations during this period. Significantly,
Kalic's findings contradict the popular opinion that the United
States sought to weaponize space and calls into question the
traditional interpretation of the space race as a simple
action/reaction paradigm. Indeed, beyond serving as a symbol and
ambassador of US technological capability, its satellite program
provided the United States with advanced, nonaggressive military
intelligence-gathering platforms that proved critical in assessing
the strategic nuclear balance between the United States and the
Soviet Union. It also aided the three administrations in countering
the Soviet Union's increasing international prestige after its
series of space firsts, beginning with the launch of Sputnik in
1957. |In the clash of ideologies represented by the Cold War, even
the heavens were not immune to militarization. Satellites and space
programs became critical elements among the national security
objectives of both the United States and the Soviet Union.
According toUSPresidents and the Militarization of Space,
1946-1967, three American presidents in succession shared a
fundamental objective of preserving space as a weapons-free
frontier for the benefit of all humanity. Between 1953 and 1967
Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson all saw nonaggressive
military satellite development, as well as the civilian space
program, as means to favorably shape the international community's
opinion of the scientific, technological, and military capabilities
of the United States. Sean N. Kalic's reinterpretation of the
development of US space policy, based on documents declassified in
the past decade, demonstrates that a single vision for the
appropriate uses of space characterized American strategies across
parties and administrations during this period. Significantly,
Kalic's findings contradict the popular opinion that the United
States sought to weaponize space and calls into question the
traditional interpretation of the space race as a simple
action/reaction paradigm. Indeed, beyond serving as a symbol and
ambassador of US technological capability, its satellite program
provided the United States with advanced, nonaggressive military
intelligence-gathering platforms that proved critical in assessing
the strategic nuclear balance between the United States and the
Soviet Union. It also aided the three administrations in countering
the Soviet Union's increasing international prestige after its
series of space firsts, beginning with the launch of Sputnik in
1957.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
