Seizing Victory from the Jaws of Deterrence: Preservation and Public Memory of America's Nike Air Defense Missile System

Despite its tremendous significance, historic preservation and public memory of America's Nike air defense missile system is extremely limited. The dominance of deterrence, lack of trauma associated with Nike sites, and difficulty fitting air defense into traditional narratives of the Cold War provide a poor foundation for public memory. While the many extant Nike sites generally retain their integrity, or ability to communicate their historical significance, numerous pitfalls hamper Nike preservation efforts, even the five Nike sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places.