Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
History
Author(s): Gary E. Weir
Source: Technology and Culture, Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr., 2003), pp. 359-363
Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press and the Society for the History of
Technology
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25148112
Accessed: 29-09-2015 20:50 UTC
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REVIEW
EXHIBIT
in the ColdWar
of American
History
E. WEIR
GARY
space.
Its dive
planes
are
at a down-angle
it leans
and
forward,
as though the vessel were about to submerge beneath the floor, underscor
ing the fact that the natural element of these very potent warships is the
sea,
deep
and
that
they
travel
through
it faster,
of
the
last
venture
deeper,
and
stay
century.
have
appeared
in a museum.
survive
Submariners
and
in the
prosper
depths and in the shadows. Personal silence and technical quiet have
ensured their survival for roughly one hundred years, and most of those
Dr. Weir
torical
is branch
head
and historian
D.C.
Center, Washington,
1914-1940
(1991) and An Ocean
He
of science
and
is the author
technology
of Building
in Common: Naval
Officers, Scientists,
1919-1961
of the Richard W. Leopold
Environment,
(2001), corecipient
from the Organization
of American
Historians.
?2003
of Technology.
All
rights
His
Submarines,
and the Ocean
Prize
for 2002
reserved.
359
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TECHNOLOGY
AND
CULTURE
APRIL
2003
*
VOL. 44
-#J:
:|||:
:-';|p!;
FIG. 1 Scaled-down
radar masts,
courtesy
of
':;':&-.tSBEBHHBiHHHll'
i^Hli^s^*f
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j?||.
4?
of the sail?the
superstructure
reproduction
a fast-attack
and so on?of
submarine.
periscopes,
the National
Museum
vv=p
JJal
of American
History,
that
encloses
(Illustrations
Smithsonian
Institution.)
who now go to sea in submarines would keep it that way. However, with
changing technologies and new and more difficult Third World targets, this
warfare community needed to make the American people, especially those
on Capitol Hill, understand the submarine's role both inwinning the cold
war and in the current national defense equation. The exhibit thus serves
two essential purposes, educational and political.
With the celebration of the centennial of the American submarine force
in 2000, the resources to create this exhibit and the willingness
of the
to tell their story finally coin
retired and active submarine community
cided. The general public now has a chance to view firsthand what hereto
fore they could only
imagine
through Hollywood
novels.
Passing
the
reproduction
sail,
the
visitor
moves
across
the
room
to a
360
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
WEIR
I Fast Attacks
and Boomers:
Submarines
era of Los
Angeles-class
with
the
fast-attack
submarines
listic missile
first nuclear
submarine
and Ohio-class
1955, which
to sea, witnessed
going
an
bal
concluded
amazing
series
of
changes, but the exhibit does not convey a vivid sense of that revolutionary
decade. Critical German experiments with high-power batteries for speed,
design changes that altered the hull configuration to its sleek present appear
ance,
hydrogen
peroxide
propulsion,
conversions
"Guppy"
of American
World War II fleet submarines to increase speed and range, and advances in
submarine strategy and tactics receive terribly short shrift. The decade fol
lowing the end ofWorld War II has emerged in the historical literature as the
most important in the history of submarines. This exhibit does not ade
quately draw visitors' attention to this vital transitional period.
An additional quandary presents itself at the end of the introductory
time line. Designed
in a loop, the exhibit confronts visitors who have just
concluded the time line with the distraction of a present-day Mark 48 tor
pedo in a very attractive and informative display on the wall opposite.
it might seem natural to continue to the left, following a rough
While
chronological progression, when I returned for my most recent visit Iwit
nessed many visitors immediately walking over to the opposite wall, not
eight feet away, to look at the torpedo. In this way, chronology and the
progress of the story can become a little muddled and random. Each visi
tor must sort out the chronological and developmental
confusion at the
end of the exhibit experience.
The strength of the exhibit emerges as itmoves into the cold war and
life on board
conveys
missions.
lance
Videos
tool.
a submarine?its
Sonar
gives
the
confined
the use
demonstrate
boat
of
acoustic
sound
eyes
its dangers,
spaces,
as a detection
and
for
navigation,
defense,
its
and
surveil
and
and
close
community
valued
by
the
submarine
force.
These
areas
offer
genuine view of submarine life, right down to the unusual "head" or bath
room facilities. The interested public can find these absorbing scenes
nowhere
else.
361
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EXHIBIT
REVIEW
TECHNOLOGY
AND
CULTURE
APRIL
2003
VOL.44
IKpRMMP
BIB-i
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lis
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:
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. ;".
room scene
control
from a Los Angeles-class
fast-attack
submarine
a view of every
room chatter
the visitor
control
and offers
prerecorded
to sonar from the perspective
to fire control
the com
from navigation
thing
officer.
manding
fig. 2 This
uses
362
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
WEIR
period between
revolutionary
to an
amounts
rience
in no
I Fast Attacks
absorbing
other
way.
can
Submarines
encounter
One
and Boomers:
that
see, hear,
the
average
feel,
and
American
appreciate
could
expe
life on
board
the stealthy ships that provided the nation's most flexible and survivable
nuclear deterrent after World War II. The cold war has ended. However,
even
patrol
as you
deep
read
this
review,
in the world's
American
fast-attacks
and
boomers
remain
on
EXHIBIT
oceans.
REVIEW
363
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