Domestic and World Events

During Lampland's 49 year tenure at Lowell Observatory, domestic and world events affected life and work at the Observatory.  Lampland's correspondence contains many references to World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Russian Bolshevik Revolution, and the Cold War.

This exhibit is a small sample of Lampland's correspondence.  All of his letters pertaining to Domestic and World Events are available as PDF files on our Collections page.

World War I

World War I<br /> Telegram from Sears, Roebuck & Co. to Carl O. Lampland, June 18, 1916

Due to the extraordinary conditions and great demand, Sears' supply of flags has been sold out

World War I<br /> Letter from James G. Biddle to Carl O. Lampland, November 13, 1917

Owing to the war it seems to be very difficult to secure instruments and prisms of any kind

World War I<br /> Hubble's Variable Nebula (N.G.C. 2261)<br /> Letter from Henry Norris Russell (Princeton University) to Carl O. Lampland, February 9, 1918

At Princeton they are 'full up with war work'

World War I<br /> Letter from Carl O. Lampland to Herbert & Huesgen Co., March 27, 1918

Guy Lowell called away upon very short notice in connection with an important war mission in Europe

Tennessee Evolution Case

Tennessee Evolution Case<br /> Letter from the Tennessee Evolution Case Fund to Carl Lampland , September 13, 1926

Request for donations to end the present widespread efforts to outlaw the teaching of evolution in many states (related to the 1925 Scopes trial)

The Great Depression

Meteor Crater<br /> Affects of the Great Depression<br /> Letter from Daniel M. Barringer, Jr. to Carl Lampland, July 5, 1931

Exploration work at Meteor Crater temporarily suspended due to the Depression

Meteor Crater<br /> Affects of the Great Depression<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to Daniel M. Barringer, Jr., March 21, 1933

The hard economic times have made it necessary to discontinue explorations at the Crater.

Effects of the Great Depression<br /> Lowell Observatory Personnel Update<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to James H. Worthington, December 19, 1933

The world's dilemma

World War II

World War II<br /> Letter from Ralph B. Larkin to Carl Lampland, December 20, 1937

Incensed at Japan's antics

Lessons of the first World War

"Let's emigrate to Mars!"

World War II<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to Ralph B. Larkin, February 8, 1938

Incensed at Japan's antics

"Gangster nations"

World War II<br /> Planetary Radiation Measurement<br /> Letter from W.W. Coblentz (Bureau of Standards) to Carl Lampland, June 24, 1940

The war in Europe

World War II<br /> R Aquarii<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to Paul W. Merrill (Mt. Wilson Observatory), February 10, 1942

War conditions' effect on Lowell Observatory

World War II<br /> R Aquarii<br /> Letter from Paul W. Merrill (Mt. Wilson Observatory) to Carl Lampland, February 12, 1942

War conditions' effect on Mt. Wilson Observatory

World War II<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to W.A. Cogshall (Indiana University), January 31, 1945

Military operations in the Pacific

Russia/Soviet Union

Russia/Soviet Union<br /> Russian Astronomers after the Bolshevik Revolution<br /> Letter from V. Charushin to Carl Lampland, July 18, 1925

Appeal on behalf of Charushin's Russian friends for intercourse with the rest of the civilized world after the Bolshevik Revolution

Russia/Soviet Union<br /> The condition of Russian scientists, artists and men of letters<br /> Letter from V. Charushin to Carl Lampland, July 7, 1927

"Russian Scientists, Artists and Men of Letters are dying of Starvation. HELP THEM!"

Lead up to World War II<br /> Russia/Soviet Union<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to R.S. Dugan (Princeton University), April 24, 1938

Purge of Russian astronomers during the Stalin Regime (Gerasimovich, Numerov)

Russia/Soviet Union<br /> Purge of Russian astronomers during the Stalin Regime<br /> Excerpt from "Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers" by Katherine Haramundamis

Brief biography of Boris Petrovich Gerasimovich, one of the many Russian astronomers executed during the Stalin Regime

Russia/Soviet Union<br /> Purge of Russian astronomers during the Stalin Regime<br /> Wikipedia entry for Boris Numerov<br />

Brief biography of Boris Numerov, one of the many Russian astronomers executed during the Stalin Regime

Russia/Soviet Union<br /> Purge of Russian astronomers during the Stalin Regime<br /> "The Voronov Affair and the Purge of Soviet Astronomy" article from the 164th AAS Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, June 9, 1984, by R.A. McCutcheon<br />

A brief accounting of the 1936-1938 purge of Soviet astronomy

The Cold War

V-2 Rocket Launchings<br /> The Cold War<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to Clyde Tombaugh, February 1, 1948

After World War II the U.S. demobilized much faster than it should have

V-2 Rocket Launchings<br /> The Cold War<br /> Letter from Carl Lampland to Clyde Tombaugh, April 11, 1948

International tensions between the U.S. and Russia

Domestic and World Events