Why America Built a Secret City Under Greenland

Quick Overview

Project Iceworm was a top-secret US military initiative in Greenland during the Cold War to build a city and tunnel network under the ice sheet, capable of housing 600 nuclear missiles, but it was ultimately abandoned due to the ice's instability and the immense logistical challenges, leading to the eventual discovery of its hazardous waste by melting ice.

Key Points: Project Iceworm was a top-secret US military project in Greenland from 1959 to 1966, aiming to build a city under the ice sheet. The base was designed to house 600 nuclear missiles and provide a secure location for scientific research and military operations. Construction involved excavating miles of tunnels under the ice using specialized equipment like snow-milling machines and crawler-transporter sleds. The project faced significant challenges due to the ice sheet's constant movement and shifting, which caused tunnels and structures to deform and collapse. The base was decommissioned in 1967, and its infrastructure and waste were left buried, with the intention of them being preserved by the ice. Recent research indicates that rising global temperatures are causing the ice sheet to melt, potentially exposing the abandoned nuclear project and its hazardous waste within decades. The project's immense scale and the difficulties encountered highlight the extreme engineering and logistical challenges of operating in remote, icy environments.

Context: During the Cold War, the US military sought to establish a strategic presence in remote and harsh environments, leading to ambitious and often secretive projects. One such endeavor was Project Iceworm, conceived in the late 1950s, which aimed to construct a vast network of tunnels and facilities beneath Greenland's ice sheet. This project was envisioned as a secure base for launching nuclear missiles and conducting scientific research in an area strategically positioned relative to the Soviet Union. However, the extreme and unpredictable nature of the Arctic environment presented formidable obstacles.