The Minuteman Missiles in South Dakota were an integral component of the Cold War economy and a manifestation of what President Dwight D. Eisenhower referred to as the “military-industrial complex.” Under the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were competing in a nuclear arms race, and defense spending therefore skyrocketed. The federal government underwrote the development and installation of new military technology, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in the form of the Minuteman missiles. The missiles were a quick-response nuclear deterrent that would be capable of hitting Soviet targets in a matter of minutes. Their installation throughout the Great Plains, in South Dakota and elsewhere, was part of a national policy of perpetual military readiness.
Eisenhower cautioned in his farewell address in 1961 of the increasing influence of the military-industrial complex, i.e., the strong interconnection among the government, the military, and the defense industries. Minuteman missile base construction involved massive government contracts with private industry, which boosted economic development in the regions where the bases were established. The defense contractors, aerospace industries, and local construction industry all prospered under the Cold War economy as government expenditures poured into production, research, and infrastructure construction. The Cold War economy was highly influenced by the military demands, as billions of dollars were directed into defense spending on projects that financed jobs and technological advancement while at the same time fueling the arms race.
The siting of missile silos in South Dakota and other rural communities was a strategic move to scatter nuclear weapons throughout the nation, reducing their exposure to a first-strike attack. This had economic and social consequences for such communities, as military bases were a source of jobs and federal investment in rural communities. It also bound these communities to national security policy and the ever-present threat of nuclear war.
The fact that a Minuteman missile silo has been preserved as a national historic site indicates the significance of this era in U.S. and global history. The Cold War characterized a good part of the latter half of the 20th century, and the reality of nuclear weapons came to occupy a focal point in global politics. The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota accomplishes a few different things. One can gain knowledge of how nuclear arms affected global politics. The missile silos were formerly top-secret installations, the epitome of Cold War tensions. Saving one enables future generations to view firsthand the technology and infrastructure that were central to U.S. defense strategy. By preserving a retired missile site, the National Park Service assists the public in realizing the actual threat of nuclear war that had existed for so many years. The site stands as a warning and a reminder of how close the world had come to a possible catastrophe and the continuing problem of nuclear arms control. The site also honors the work of the servicemen who operated these missile sites. Air Force troops stationed at these bases played a critical role in the nation’s defense, frequently serving in conditions of great pressure and secrecy.
I think that declaring a missile silo a national historic site in America recognizes the influence of the Cold War on American society, technology, and military policy. It keeps this moment in the past from being forgotten and provides an opportunity to consider the implications of nuclear exchange and global war.
Will Wright 