The Early Days of Pugwash

Abstract

The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs were founded in 1957 to address the threat of nuclear war and promote international peace. This article traces the origins of Pugwash to the Russell-Einstein Manifesto of 1955, which called for a conference of scientists to discuss the dangers of nuclear weapons. The author, a founding member of Pugwash, describes the efforts of scientists in the US and UK in the years leading up to the first Pugwash conference, including the work of the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) and the Atomic Scientists Association (ASA). He then details the genesis of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, the organization of the first Pugwash conference, and the organization’s subsequent activities. The author argues that Pugwash has played a significant role in promoting nuclear disarmament and preventing nuclear war, particularly during the Cold War. – AI-generated abstract.