To Defend and Deter: the Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program - Encyclopedic Coverage of Nike, ABM, ICBM, Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, IRBM History with Comprehensive Details PDF Download

Author: Department of Defense (DoD)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549771408
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 554

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Book Description
This massive book provides encyclopedic coverage of the missile programs of the United States during the Cold War era, with extraordinary details about the headline programs of Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules, ABM, Safeguard, BOMARC, ICBM, Atlas, Titan I and II, Minuteman I, II and III, Jupiter, Thor, and Snark. It is one of the best single source documents official histories of these incredible missile systems. Contents:Introduction: The Cold War and the Nation * Part I: A History of the United States Cold War Missile Program * Chapter 1 * In the Beginning: The Early History of Rocket and Guided Missile Development * Chapter 2 * The Immediate Post-War Era, 1945-1950: Opportunities and Constraints * Chapter 3 * The Beginning of Rearmament, 1950-1954 * Chapter 4 * The ICBM Program Takes Flight, 1954-1955 * Chapter 5 * The Debate Over Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles, 1955-1958 * Chapter 6 * The Air Defense Debate * Chapter 7 * Building Missiles, 1954-1966 * Chapter 8 * ICBM Deployment * Chapter 9 * America's Missile Communities: Social and Economic Impact * Chapter 10 * Antiballistic Missile Defense: Nike Zeus Through Safeguard * Chapter 11 * Modernizing the ICBM Force * Chapter 12 * Arms Control Agreements: The Legacy for Preservation * Chapter 13 * Conclusion * Bibliography * Part II: System Profiles * Introduction * Defensive Missile Systems * Nike Ajax * Nike Hercules * Antiballistic Missiles (ABM): the Safeguard System * BOMARC * Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles * Atlas * Titan I and II * Minuteman I, II, and III * Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles * Jupiter * Thor * Long-Range, Air-Breathing Missiles * Snark * Part III: Site Overviews: * Histories of Missile Development and Deployment Sites in the United States * Appendices * A: A Chronology of the United States Missile Program During the Cold War, 1945-1989 * B: An Inventory of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Launch Facilities and Air Defense Missile Sites in the United States * GlossaryTo Defend and Deter is the product of a 2-year effort by personnel from the Tri-Services Cultural Resources Research Center, located at the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL), working in cooperation with Dr. Cameron and other members of the military history community. The goal of this effort was to develop a history and reference guide suitable for use in identifying and evaluating the historical significance of missile-related cultural resources. The authors have supplied the information necessary to locate, identify, and understand Army and Air Force guided missile facilities. This, coupled with evaluative guidelines currently being developed within DoD, will help cultural resources personnel make substantive evaluations.Excerpt: The Development of the Defensive Missile Force - The primary responsibility for defending the United States against air attack rested with the Air Force. To accomplish this mission, the Air Force developed a defense-in-depth strategy that encompassed early warning radars, fighter aircraft, and long-range antiaircraft missiles positioned to detect and engage the enemy before they entered American airspace. If the enemy penetrated this outer layer, the last line of defense was the Army's antiaircraft missile batteries that defended key urban, industrial, and military targets. The long-range antiaircraft missile was the Air Force's BOMARC. Development began in 1946 but the first units were not deployed until 1959. BOMARC resembled a long, sleek fighter with sharply swept wings. The 45-foot missile was powered by ramjet engines and traveled at nearly four times the speed of sound. It had an effective range of 440 miles and could carry either a conventional or nuclear warhead. During the 1960s eight BOMARC missile squadrons were deployed along the eastern seaboard and in the midwest. The Army's contribution to the air defense network was the Nike antiaircraft missile system.

Author: Department of Defense (DoD)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549666520
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 299

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Book Description
Eight official histories provide the complete story of America's ICBM forces in this compilation, divided into three parts because of its enormous size: Part 1: ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer) * On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 * The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960 Part 2: Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) * The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) * An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 * The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold War Part 3: To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program. Part 1: ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer Excerpt) - concise historical overview of the ICBM program. On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 - a fascinating look at a period in our nation's history that is too often overlooked. The vital role the ICBM played in keeping the peace in the Cold War era is increasingly less understood by our populace. The careful documentation of the past and present contribution of the ICBM force to global deterrence will ensure the lessons of this period are not forgotten. The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960 - Although the development of ballistic missiles is largely an administrative history, it is also the story of the herculean efforts of several key individuals. The effort could not have succeeded as it did without the fortuitous appearance on the scene of Trevor Gardner, Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, and Dr. John von Neumann. How these men conceptualized, promoted, and directed the program forms the basis of the story. Part 2: Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) - ICBM combat crew alert was yet another dimension of Cold Warrior dedication and performance. Though the concept of missiles was entirely new to SAC veterans, they adapted quickly to the ICBM weapon systems. Snark, Bomarc, Thor, Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman came into SAC operations as smoothly as new aircraft systems had come in over the years. The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) - Missiles, and particularly ballistic missiles, were disruptive to the Air Force's culture, operations, and organization in several important ways. First, and most obvious, missiles had no pilots so they relegated humans simply to getting the missile somewhere within range of the target and then pushing a button. An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 - Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) development by the United States from 1952 through 1965 is marked by extreme urgency. The initial impetus for the development did not proceed within military channels; this paper explores possible reasons why the military channels were not the originator of the program. The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold War - The story of the Minuteman missile program is a Cold War tale. Journalist Walter Lippmann's 1947 book, The Cold War, first used and popularized the term "cold war" to refer to the post-World War II confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Part 3: To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program - The so-called strategic missiles, which included intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and air-breathing strategic missiles (the predecessors of today's cruise missiles), were deterrent systems. In conjunction with the bombers of the Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), the deterrent systems were intended to discourage an aggressor from attacking.

Author: Department of Defense (DoD)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549666407
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 624

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Book Description
Eight official histories provide the complete story of America's ICBM forces in this compilation, divided into three parts because of its enormous size:Part 1: ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer) * On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 * The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960Part 2: Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) * The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) * An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 * The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold WarPart 3: To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program.Part 1:ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer Excerpt) - concise historical overview of the ICBM program.On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 - a fascinating look at a period in our nation's history that is too often overlooked. The vital role the ICBM played in keeping the peace in the Cold War era is increasingly less understood by our populace. The careful documentation of the past and present contribution of the ICBM force to global deterrence will ensure the lessons of this period are not forgotten.The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960 - Although the development of ballistic missiles is largely an administrative history, it is also the story of the herculean efforts of several key individuals. The effort could not have succeeded as it did without the fortuitous appearance on the scene of Trevor Gardner, Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, and Dr. John von Neumann. How these men conceptualized, promoted, and directed the program forms the basis of the story.Part 2:Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) - ICBM combat crew alert was yet another dimension of Cold Warrior dedication and performance. Though the concept of missiles was entirely new to SAC veterans, they adapted quickly to the ICBM weapon systems. Snark, Bomarc, Thor, Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman came into SAC operations as smoothly as new aircraft systems had come in over the years.The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) - Missiles, and particularly ballistic missiles, were disruptive to the Air Force's culture, operations, and organization in several important ways. First, and most obvious, missiles had no pilots so they relegated humans simply to getting the missile somewhere within range of the target and then pushing a button.An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 - Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) development by the United States from 1952 through 1965 is marked by extreme urgency. The initial impetus for the development did not proceed within military channels; this paper explores possible reasons why the military channels were not the originator of the program.The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold War - The story of the Minuteman missile program is a Cold War tale. Journalist Walter Lippmann's 1947 book, The Cold War, first used and popularized the term "cold war" to refer to the post-World War II confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union.Part 3:To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program - The so-called strategic missiles, which included intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and air-breathing strategic missiles (the predecessors of today's cruise missiles), were deterrent systems. In conjunction with the bombers of the Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), the deterrent systems were intended to discourage an aggressor from attacking.

Author: Department of Defense (DoD)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549666582
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 569

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Book Description
Eight official histories provide the complete story of America's ICBM forces in this compilation, divided into three parts because of its enormous size:Part 1: ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer) * On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 * The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960Part 2: Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) * The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) * An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 * The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold WarPart 3: To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program.Part 1:ICBM and Missile Summary (Space Primer Excerpt) - concise historical overview of the ICBM program.On Alert: An Operational History of the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Program, 1945-2011 - a fascinating look at a period in our nation's history that is too often overlooked. The vital role the ICBM played in keeping the peace in the Cold War era is increasingly less understood by our populace. The careful documentation of the past and present contribution of the ICBM force to global deterrence will ensure the lessons of this period are not forgotten.The Development of Ballistic Missiles in the United States Air Force 1945-1960 - Although the development of ballistic missiles is largely an administrative history, it is also the story of the herculean efforts of several key individuals. The effort could not have succeeded as it did without the fortuitous appearance on the scene of Trevor Gardner, Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, and Dr. John von Neumann. How these men conceptualized, promoted, and directed the program forms the basis of the story.Part 2:Inside the Cold War - A Cold Warrior's Reflections (ICBM Excerpt) - ICBM combat crew alert was yet another dimension of Cold Warrior dedication and performance. Though the concept of missiles was entirely new to SAC veterans, they adapted quickly to the ICBM weapon systems. Snark, Bomarc, Thor, Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman came into SAC operations as smoothly as new aircraft systems had come in over the years.The United States Air Force and the Culture of Innovation, 1945-1965 (ICBM Excerpt) - Missiles, and particularly ballistic missiles, were disruptive to the Air Force's culture, operations, and organization in several important ways. First, and most obvious, missiles had no pilots so they relegated humans simply to getting the missile somewhere within range of the target and then pushing a button.An Examination of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Development Within the United States from 1952 to 1965 - Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) development by the United States from 1952 through 1965 is marked by extreme urgency. The initial impetus for the development did not proceed within military channels; this paper explores possible reasons why the military channels were not the originator of the program.The Missile Plains: Frontline of America's Cold War - The story of the Minuteman missile program is a Cold War tale. Journalist Walter Lippmann's 1947 book, The Cold War, first used and popularized the term "cold war" to refer to the post-World War II confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union.Part 3:To Defend and Deter: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Missile Program - The so-called strategic missiles, which included intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and air-breathing strategic missiles (the predecessors of today's cruise missiles), were deterrent systems. In conjunction with the bombers of the Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), the deterrent systems were intended to discourage an aggressor from attacking.

Author: David K. Stumpf
Publisher: University of Arkansas Press
ISBN: 9781610754293
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 376

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Book Description
The Titan II ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) program was developed by the United States military to bolster the size, strength, and speed of the nation’s strategic weapons arsenal in the 1950s and 1960s. Each missile carried a single warhead—the largest in U.S. inventory—used liquid fuel propellants, and was stored and launched from hardened underground silos. The missiles were deployed at basing facilities in Arkansas, Arizona, and Kansas and remained in active service for over twenty years. Since military deactivation in the early 1980s, the Titan II has served as a reliable satellite launch vehicle. This is the richly detailed story of the Titan II missile and the men and women who developed and operated the system. David K. Stumpf uses a wide range of sources, drawing upon interviews with and memoirs by engineers and airmen as well as recently declassified government documents and other public materials. Over 170 drawings and photographs, most of which have never been published, enhance the narrative. The three major accidents of the program are described in detail for the first time using authoritative sources. Titan II will be welcomed by librarians for its prodigious reference detail, by technology history professionals and laymen, and by the many civilian and Air Force personnel who were involved in the program—a deterrent weapons system that proved to be successful in defending America from nuclear attack.

Author: Gretchen Heefner
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674070887
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Between 1961 and 1967 the United States Air Force buried 1,000 Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles in pastures across the Great Plains. The Missile Next Door tells the story of how rural Americans of all political stripes were drafted to fight the Cold War by living with nuclear missiles in their backyards—and what that story tells us about enduring political divides and the persistence of defense spending. By scattering the missiles in out-of-the-way places, the Defense Department kept the chilling calculus of Cold War nuclear strategy out of view. This subterfuge was necessary, Gretchen Heefner argues, in order for Americans to accept a costly nuclear buildup and the resulting threat of Armageddon. As for the ranchers, farmers, and other civilians in the Plains states who were first seduced by the economics of war and then forced to live in the Soviet crosshairs, their sense of citizenship was forever changed. Some were stirred to dissent. Others consented but found their proud Plains individualism giving way to a growing dependence on the military-industrial complex. Even today, some communities express reluctance to let the Minutemen go, though the Air Force no longer wants them buried in the heartland. Complicating a red state/blue state reading of American politics, Heefner’s account helps to explain the deep distrust of government found in many western regions, and also an addiction to defense spending which, for many local economies, seems inescapable.

Author: David Stumpf
Publisher: University of Arkansas Press
ISBN: 1610757351
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 595

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In Minuteman: A Technical History of the Missile That Defined American Nuclear Warfare, David K. Stumpf demystifies the intercontinental ballistic missile program that was conceived at the end of the Eisenhower administration as a key component of the US nuclear strategy of massive retaliation. Although its nuclear warhead may have lacked power relative to that of the Titan II, the Minuteman more than made up for this in terms of numbers and readiness to launch—making it the ultimate ICBM. Minuteman offers a fascinating look at the technological breakthroughs necessary to field this weapon system that has served as a powerful component of the strategic nuclear triad for more than half a century. With exacting detail, Stumpf examines the construction of launch and launch control facilities; innovations in solid propellant, lightweight inertial guidance systems, and lightweight reentry vehicle development; and key flight tests and operational flight programs—all while situating the Minuteman program in the context of world events. In doing so, the author reveals how the historic missile has adapted to changing defense strategies—from counterforce to mutually assured destruction to sufficiency.

Author: John C. Lonnquest
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780976149453
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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The Department of Defense's official history of the United States Cold War missile program--completely reformatted with all-new color illustrations and photographs not used in the original edition. The DoD commissioned this study as part of its Cold War Project in 1996. With permission from the DoD's Legacy Program, Hole in the Head Press brings To Defend and Deter back into print. This informative guide offers a thorough look at Cold War missile development, from the earliest beginnings of rocketry in the 13th century to the arms control agreements that began in the 1970s. Both a narrative history and reference guide, To Defend and Deter traces the evolution of the Cold War and establishes the United States missile program's scope and its massive impact on the American landscape, citizens, and structure of the U.S. military establishment.

Author: Department Of The Interior
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781520778372
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
This is a comprehensive and unique history of the Minuteman ICBM program and related Cold War issues, focusing on missile silos in South Dakota. The history of the Cold War, focusing on the 1950s and 1960s, describes how nuclear systems developed, and the political climate and foreign policy decisions of Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy - and how these factors affected development of strategic missiles and nuclear armament systems. Chapter 2 provides a background on ICBM program beginnings and liquid-fuel ICBMs, placing the development of solid-fuel ICBMs into context. Chapter 3 discusses development and capabilities of both the Minuteman I and Minuteman II missile systems and provides an overview of the development of Minuteman III and the future generation of missile development. Section II -Life on the South Dakota Plains: Before, During, and After Minuteman presents the history of the Minuteman missile in South Dakota. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the prehistory and history of the region discussing Native American history, land speculation and settlement, and continued agricultural uses. This background describes the landscape and environment prior to the establishment of 150 Minuteman I and II LFs and fifteen LCFs throughout the state. Chapters 2 to 5 deals with the development, construction, and activities of the missile sites in South Dakota from the 1960s through the 1980s when the sites were still active, with an emphasis on LCF Delta-01 and LF Delta-09. A history of the Air Force highlighting the Strategic Air Command and Ellsworth Air Force Base in Chapter 2 provides the background for a discussion of the 44th Strategic Missile Wing, which commanded the Minuteman sites in South Dakota. Chapter 3 provides the history of the location, land purchase, and construction of the Minuteman sites in South Dakota. Section II continues with a discussion of the day-to-day activities of the personnel assigned to the missile sites, including the training, roles, and responsibilities of the missile combat crew, facility manager, security and maintenance personnel, and the cook. Section II concludes by addressing changes in the roles, responsibilities, and personnel at the sites during the Minuteman's tenure, including the introduction of female missileers and addressing racial issues among personnel at the sites and within the greater community. Section III -Peace Movement, Nuclear Disarmament, and the Future returns to the national and international arenas discussing the opposition to nuclear armament, the end of the Cold War, and the future for Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Section I -The Cold War and National Armament * Chapter 1: The Cold War (1945-62) * Introduction * Origins of the Cold War * Eisenhower and Waging Peace * Sputnik * Kennedy Administration and the First Minuteman Deployment * Chapter 2: U.S. Strategic Missile and Armament Systems (1950s-60s) * Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program Beginnings * Liquid-Fuel Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles: Atlas and Titan * Chapter 3: Minuteman and the Next Generation (1960s-present) * The Missile Gap and Minuteman * Development of Solid-Fuel Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles * Minuteman I * Minuteman II * Minuteman III and the Next Generation * Section II -Life on the South Dakota Plains: Before, During, and After Minuteman * Chapter 1: Life and Landscape Before Minuteman (to the 1960s) * South Dakota Plains Geological Formations * Native American Settlement * Early European Exploration and the Fur Trade * Euro-American Land Speculation, Settlement, and Immigration * Western Plains Settlement and Agricultural History * Chapter 2: U.S. Air Force, Strategic Air Command, and Ellsworth Air Force Base (1940s-90s) * Establishment * Strategic Air Command * Ellsworth Air Force Base * Chapter 3: Minuteman Missile Sites in South Dakota (1960s-80s) * Site Location * Land Purchase * Minuteman Missile Area Landowners

Author: Department of Defense
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781521161739
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Following World War II, the onset of nuclear weapons, long-range jet bombers, and ballistic missiles radically changed American foreign policy and military strategy. The Air Force, led by men of far-sighted vision and uncommon dedication, accepted the challenge of organizing and leading a massive research and development effort to build ballistic missiles. In the quarter of a century since, these weapons have constituted one of the three legs of the strategic triad--the basis of America's strategy of deterring nuclear war--yet they have received less attention from the public and within the Air Force than the more glamorous manned bombers of the Strategic Air Command or the missile-launching submarines of the U.S. Navy. This volume attempts to correct the imbalance by telling the story of the development of Air Force ballistic missiles. It concentrates on the first generation of ballistic missiles: the intercontinental Atlas and Titan, and the intermediate range Thor. Although the effort to develop rockets has a longer history than commonly assumed, the modern history spans the relatively short era from 1945 to 1960. During this brief interval, missiles advanced from drawing board to alert status, where the next generation now remains poised to deter war. The author describes the difficulties involved in the technological competition with the Soviets to be first to develop and deploy a ballistic missile force. With innovative leadership, the Air Force succeeded also in overcoming conflict with the Army and Navy, budgetary constraints, administrative complications, and of course formidable engineering problems.Preface * INTRODUCTION * I. PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT * Early Experimental Guided Missiles * Interservice Rivalry * The Postwar Program * II. BALLISTIC MISSILES RESEARCH * Modern Rockets * Project MX-774 * The National Guided Missile Program * USAF Missile Program, 1947-1950 * Atomic-Equipped Missiles * III. THE CONTEST FOR CONTROL * Project MX-1593 Atlas Reorganizing for Missiles Roles and Missions Controversy * IV. A RADICAL REORGANIZATION * The New Look * The Air Force Accelerates * A West Coast Facility * V. A FAMILY OF MISSILES * Parallel Development * A National Priority * Initial Operational Capability * Thor * VI. THE POOR MAN'S APPROACH * ICBM Initial Operational Capability * IRBM Initial Operational Capability * The Economy Axe * The Furor over Sputnik * Final Plans * VII. THE OPERATIONAL FORCE * ICBM Squadrons * The Concurrency Concept * Site Activation * Flight Testing * Construction * Aerospace Corporation * Deploying the First Generation * Reliability Problems * Final Deployments * IRBM Squadrons * Minuteman * Phase-out-Phase-in * Retiring Thor and Jupiter * Retiring Atlas and Titan I * EPILOGUE * APPENDICES * 1. The Teapot Committee Report * 2. The Gillette Report * 3. Major Officials in Ballistic Missiles Development * NOTES * GLOSSARY * BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE