An overview is presented of total ionizing dose (TID) effects in MOS and bipolar devices from a historical perspective, focusing primarily on work presented at the annual IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC). From the founding of the IEEE NSREC in 1964 until 1976, foundational work led to the discovery of TID effects in MOS devices, the characterization of basic charge transport and trapping processes in , and the development of the first generations of metal-gate radiation-hardened MOS technologies. From 1977 until 1985, significant progress was made in the understanding of critical defects and impurities that limit the radiation response of MOS devices. These include O vacancies in , dangling Si bonds at the interface, and hydrogen. In addition, radiation-hardened Si-gate CMOS technologies were developed. From 1986 until 1997, a significant focus was placed on understanding postirradiation effects in MOS devices and implementing hardness assurance test methods to qualify devices for use in space systems. Enhanced low-dose-rate sensitivity (ELDRS) was discovered and investigated in linear bipolar devices and integrated circuits. From 1998 until the present, an increasing focus has been placed on theoretical studies enabled by rapidly advancing computational capabilities, modeling and simulation, effects in ultra-thin oxides and alternative dielectrics to , and in developing a comprehensive model of ELDRS.