History of the IAU: The Birth and First Half-Century of the International Astronomical Union

Preface. 1. Birth and Consolidation 1919--1922. 2. Earlier 20th Century Developments World War I. 3. The IRC and the 'Neutral' States Suspicion and Resentment. 4. 1922--1928: First General Assemblies IAU becomes Fully International. 5. The Years 1928--1938. 6. The IAU and Political Persecutions in the 1930's. 7. 1938--1948 World War II: Interruption and Recovery. 8. 1948--1958 Flourishing Science and Disturbing Politics. 9. The China Conflict. 10. 1958--1964 Reforms, Berkeley 1961, and Hamburg 1964. 11. 1964--1969 Reforms Continued, the Astronomer's Handbook Prague 1967, and the 50th Anniversary. 12. Financing in the Union a Review over 75 Years. References. The IAU Historical Archives. Subject Index. Name Index.