RAND Corporation

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit policy research institution established immediately after World War II. The abbreviation “RAND” stands for “research and development,” and as originally conceived, the RAND Corporation provided problem solving and analysis for the U.S. armed forces. The organization has since expanded to service other governments, foundations, nongovernmental organizations, and commercial enterprises on a variety of non-military-related issues. Its history, however, is deeply connected to the development of U.S. defense policy during the Cold War, particularly as it relates to America’s nuclear strategy. This entry examines the history and research areas of the RAND Corporation.

As World War II drew to a close, leading officials from the U.S. government and military recognized the contributions that scientists and engineers had made to the war ...