A 20Th Century View Of The History Of Antarctica
Over the years many of the whaling nations made territorial claims to large sections of the continent of Antarctica.On the Peninsula, three nations claims overlie each other. Making the Peninsula shared by Britain, Argentina, and Chile.Claims to Antarctica have also been declared by New Zealand, Australia, France, and Norway.
In 1940, Nazi Germany claimed their own piece of the pie by dropping swastika-etched stakes from planes across huge pieces of Antarctica, when nationalism was in full swing. Antarctica was essentially forgotten during the time when World War II was raging, and even as the Cold War was established. The only interest came from the whaling nations.However, incited by astral occurrences, Antarctica began to draw the attention of scientists in the mid part of the century.
Between 1957 and 1958, sunspot activity hit a peak that drove both scientists and governments around the globe to descend upond Antarctica where they could use its unique view of the southern hole in the Earth’s magnetic field to study the earth as it was bombarded by solar radiation from sunspot activity.The continent was soon home to a 67 country coalition of science personnel.Because all the countries got along so well, a new treaty called the Antarctic Treaty, was formed and marks an amazing feat in international law and agreements.travel to antarctica
The compact established Antarctica as a site for strictly peaceful objectives, and it was signed by all countries concerned in 1959.There would be no more nuclear testing, dumping of radioactive waste, or explosions.The only reason military activities were to be allowed on the continent was in the logistic support of science.The issues surrounding territorial claims were put to rest.
An amazing example of this, is that the treaty was signed at the height of the Cold War, and those countries involved in that struggle did not insert their internal strife into the treaty. This also included not taking sides with their allies if their allies lost land because of the deal. They did reserve the right to be able to change their minds if they so chose in the future.This cleaver act made smaller countries follow their lead and did not press their territorial claims either.antarctica vacation
By the 1960s and 1970, other countries began to realize the extent of oil, gas and minerals that lie in and around Antarctica, and they also began to realize the value of those resources.The number of national bases multiplied to great numbers and the population increased to its highest point of 5,000 people during the summer. Most of the bases were on the peninsula and area islands. The people lived mainly in the urban areas around the dozens of science stations located here.
During the 1960’s and 70’s, the U.S., Soviet Union, Poland, Italy, Britain, Chile, and Argentina all established bases on King George Island, and during the 1980’s, additional bases were opened by Peru, Uruguay, South Korea, China, and Brazil.Not only were these bases the site of scientific experiments, but they also served as political markers, similar to the swastika stakes dropped by Nazi Germany in 1940.All of these countries decreed “squatters’ rights” to the continent.
However, by the time the 1980’s rolled around, the use of Antarctica moved toward scientific research and retracted from using the continent for its resources.So now the Antarctic joins with the oceans in being defined as communal property belonging to the entire world.The Halley Bay Antarctic headquarters, a British base, found the opening in the Earth’s ozone layer, indicating that man’s actions might chip away at the atmosphere so much so that ultraviolet rays can pass through and cause cancer.
This discovery began the discussions for an international agreement in 1987 that would ban the use of ozone-depleting chemicals from being used by the end of the 1990’sAll of this information increased the value of having Antarctic science bases, along with discovering the “greenhouse” effects due to carbon emissions that have caused damage since the Industrial Age started.Anti-whaling sentiment reached a climax during the 1980’s, and global movements for a Green planet supported preserving the continent of Antarctica as a world park.
In 1991, that dream became a reality when the nations who created the Antarctic Treaty voted to ban all exploration of natural resources for a period for 50 years so that the natural environment could grow and thrive and scientific research could flourish.In today’s world, Antarctica which once served as a staple for the Industrial Revolution, is assisting people around the world to understand how industrial developments have hurt Earth and its atmosphere. It is also helping to show the world how to prevent any environmental disasters.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:41 am
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