One-Upmanship - The Cold War, Denali, AK - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

Title of the sign: "One-Upmanship - The Cold War"

The text on the sign begins:

"For 45 years following World War II, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics engaged in a prolonged worldwide rivalry called the Cold War. Geographic proximity placed Alaska "center stage" during this era.

Going Ballistic
In 1957, the beeping from Russia's Sputnik could be heard from space! The military possibilities were terrifying. The DEW Line was obsolete, ICBM's (Intercontinental ballistic missiles) were a reality. Construction was started in 1958 on three BMEWS (ballistic missile early warning sites). Clear, Alaska, was home for one of these monstrous radars that could "see" objects 3,000 miles away. What would you do with the 15 minutes of advanced warning these radars gave?

Polar Threat
By 1949, the Soviets had developed nuclear weapons and a bomber capable of reaching mid-America over the polar region. To counter this threat, the U.S. built a system of radars, communications links, interceptor bases, and missile sites in Alaska, and the North American Air Defense (NORAD) control center in Colorado. This system gave time to scramble interceptor aircraft from King Salmon and Galena, and to alert the Nike/Hercules missile batteries near Anchorage and Fairbanks, to destroy invading bombers while still in Alaskan airspace.

Cat and Mouse
Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. invaded each other's polar airspace many times, probing and testing radars and defenses. Ladd Air Field and Eielson Air Force Base were launch points for radar mapping missions of the Soviet coast flown by the U.S. The Soviet's efforts to probe Alaska kept the aircraft at King Salmon and Galena very busy. Each country sought to gain an advantage with this information critical for a nuclear strike.

Sanity Returns
With the political and economic collapse of the U.S.S.R. in the late 1980's, the Cold War was ended. Defensive technologies developed during the Cold WAr gave Alaska reliabable communications, transportation, andour main economic force until the discovery of oil. Today's military continues to be an integral part of Alaska."

Group that erected the marker: State of Alaska, Dept of Natural Resources URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Parks Hiway Milepost 147.1 Denali State Park, AK USA

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