Part I. Weather control: scientific fringe to scientific mainstream (1890-1950). Ka-boom! -- Weather in an icebox: scientific weather control -- Part II. Coming to grips with weather control (1950-1957). US Congress: controlling weather control -- State governments: averting "weather wars" -- The meteorologists: corralling the research agenda -- Part III. Weather control as state tool (1957-1980). Weather control as state tool on the home front -- Weather control as state tool on military and diplomatic fronts -- Conclusion: weather control and the American state.