Research Guides

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Duck and Cover: Civil Defense in North Dakota

Nuclear Danger

During the cold war nuclear war was a concern, especially after the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). Other dangers come from nuclear power plant accidents and disasters. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster occurred in 1986 and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster occurred in 2011 after an earthquake and tsunami.

During the cold war another danger- fallout from nuclear testing was descending hundreds of miles away from the testing sites. Soil and milk samples were taken to measure levels of different radioactive particles like Strontium-90 and Iodne-131.

Hidden under acres of farmland are nuclear missile silos.  The Minuteman missiles at Minot were installed in 1962 to prevent nuclear attack with the threat of mutual insured destruction. In the 1970’s over 1000 missiles were scattered across the Midwest but these were reduced to around 400. Currently the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB maintains over 100 Minuteman III Nuclear missiles.

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