In the present book, we consider the dramatic early history of cosmic ray discovery and research in all aspects up to about the middle of the 1950s (Part I, Chapters 1 - 14), the history of CR experimental basis development (Part II, Chapters 15 - 22), the history of studies in CR and on accelerators for elementary particle and high energy physics (Part III, Chapters 23 — 28), the history of studies of the influence of the Earth's atmosphere and atmospheric processes on CR (Part IV, Chapters 29 — 37), the history of studies of CR influence on the Earth's atmosphere and atmospheric processes (Part V, Chapters 38 — 43), histories on the beginning of solar wind theory and CR modulation development, on CR studies on mountains and during the International Geophysical Year and the International Quiet Sun Year, histories of CR stations and research in different CR aspects in many countries such as Armenia, Australia, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia and the former USSR (ground and regular balloon observations and research, observations and CR research in Yakutia), Slovakia, and Switzerland (Appendix, Chapters A1-A18).