Russell’s resolve throughout the 1950s is truly remarkable given his age and the personal tribulations he faced. In May 1957, at age 85, he developed a throat condition that would eventually prevent him from eating solid food for the remaining decade of his life. In June his wife, Edith, who played an indispensable role in support of Russell’s work, suffered a heart attack that left her virtually bedridden for 4 months (and ended any slim hope of Russell travelling to Canada for the first Pugwash conference). Finally, the mental state of Russell’s son, John, deteriorated so badly that Russell and Edith became the guardians of John’s three young children.

Despite all this, Russell’s efforts for peace continued. He delivered the keynote addresses at the 3rd and 10th Pugwash conferences in Vienna and London, but long before the latter gathering in 1962 he had stepped back from the Pugwash movement, leaving its leadership in the capable hands of Joseph Rotblat. Instead, Russell devoted his considerable energy towards two new initiatives, in which he played founding and leadership roles--the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and, later, the Committee of 100, a more militant organization that favoured civil disobedience tactics.