Tungsten is a rare ferrous metal whose ability to form molecular compounds with other elements has made it one of the essential elements in steelmaking, electronics, and various military technologies. This is the first comprehensive study of the use of tungsten and its role in modern technology, politics, and international trade. The book combines a detailed general overview of tungsten’s uses in science and technology with a history of tungsten mining in the U.S. and elsewhere; international competition for tungsten supplies, especially between the two world wars of the twentieth century; and the complex national and international politics involved in supporting and protecting the U.S. tungsten supply and tungsten-mining industry. Tungsten in Peace and War, 1918–1946 is a significant addition to the history of technology and a revelation of the complex role that tungsten and other critical metals play in national and international politics and in the world economy.

Ronald H. Limbaugh is an Idaho native and graduate of the University of Idaho (Ph.D. 1967). He retired in 2000 after thirty-four years teaching American history at the University of the Pacific. A western regional specialist, he has written a number of books and articles on a variety of topics, including territorial politics, mining, John Muir, and family history.