Camp Century: The Untold Story of America's Secret Arctic Military Base Under the Greenland Ice

During the Cold War, the United States Army secretly built Camp Century in Greenland to aim up to 600 nuclear warheads at the Soviet Union. The base was abandoned in 1966, but it has caused controversies and environmental concerns due to the risks of radioactive waste. This book is the first comprehensive account of the camp's history, including top-secret memos and photographic evidence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 27 July 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

At the height of the Cold War, the United States Army secretly initiated the construction of a covert base nestled within the Greenland ice cap: Camp Century. Officially classified as a scientific research station, this facility harbored an undisclosed objective: to deploy up to 600 nuclear warheads, concealed within the ice, towards the Soviet Union. In 1966, just six years after the camp's establishment, the United States abandoned this provocative strategy and relinquished control over the base. Despite its relatively short existence, Camp Century has sparked controversies, affecting diplomatic relations between the United States, its Arctic allies, Denmark, and Greenland. Moreover, it has raised concerns about the potential risks associated with the abandoned radioactive waste left behind at the site.

This book serves as the first comprehensive exploration of the U.S. Army's "city under the ice." Beginning with the Truman administration's vision of military supremacy in the Arctic and extending into the present-day concerns surrounding climate change, Kristian H. Nielsen and Henry Nielsen meticulously unravel the extraordinary history of this clandestine installation. Drawing upon a wealth of secret memos and previously unseen photographic evidence, they trace the intricate web of high-level politics, ice-core research, media representations, daily life beneath the ice, and the looming specter of long-buried environmental issues that may resurface in the future.

Camp Century unveils a concealed chapter of Cold War history, highlighting the enduring relevance of this narrative as the Greenland ice cap continues to melt.

Weight: 484g
Dimension: 154 x 228 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231201773