Nuclear weapons, known as the deadliest weapons of destruction in human history, are self-evident in their lethal power and strategic role. The power of a nuclear weapon comes from the enormous energy it releases, capable of destroying a small city in an instant. For example, in World War II, the United States threw one at Hiroshima, and the explosive yield was only 15,000 tons, which caused hundreds of thousands of casualties in Hiroshima and decades of nuclear pollution. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union frantically built various types of nuclear bombs, and the strategic role of nuclear weapons became even more prominent.
During the Cold War, tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union hung over the world. Both the United States and the Soviet Union actively built nuclear weapons to deter each other and ensure their own security. In the process, not only are the number and power of nuclear weapons increasing, but both sides are also strengthening their military defense systems to defend their countries against nuclear attacks. Various facilities such as anti-aircraft missiles, underground bunkers, emergency shelter facilities, etc., are built and deployed to minimize damage to the country in the event of a nuclear attack by the enemy.
The U.S. military base at Cheyenne Hill is one such strategically important defense facility. Located in the Cheyenne Mountains region of Nevada, this military base was considered the last line of defense of the United States during the Cold War, also known as the last bunker of the American president, or the fortress of doom. It is said that there is a gate weighing 20 tons inside this base, and in the event of a nuclear war, the United States will immediately close this gate, isolating the inside of the base from the outside world, and even nuclear radiation cannot enter, so as to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment inside the base, and at the same time ensure the continuous operation of the base.
The construction of the Cheyenne Hill military base was an important move by the United States in response to a possible nuclear war, and it reflected the extreme importance and cautious attitude of the United States in dealing with the nuclear threat at that time. This underground facility is said to be quite large, including the headquarters, war room, living facilities, etc., which can accommodate more than 6,000 people and ensure that they can survive in the base for several months. In addition to being a strategic military facility, the Cheyenne Hill base also represented a U.S. strategy in the face of a nuclear threat.
It is not only a defensive facility, but also a symbol of the United States' response to the nuclear threat during the Cold War, as well as its high vigilance for national security and survival. It is reported that it was built in 1958, and the entire base is located in the middle of a yellow granite mountain, and the granite above its top is 300-500 meters thick, even if it is 10 million tons of nuclear bombs. In order to reduce the strong vibrations, there are also 1,319 giant springs at the bottom, each weighing 4.5 tons.
The Cheyenne Mountains are located at an altitude of more than 2,500 meters above sea level, and there is a tunnel of more than 500 meters just to reach the entrance. At the gate, there is also a special steel gate weighing 25 tons, which will be closed immediately in the event of a nuclear war, and the entire base will be cut off from the rest of the world. It has a full set of three-defense survival system inside, and is not afraid of biological and chemical weapons. The site is more like an underground city, with all kinds of infrastructure such as power stations, drainage systems, filtration systems, convenience stores, cafes, and so on. In addition, the entire center is made up of 15 steel buildings, each of which is extremely sturdy.
Here, the President of the United States can complete a variety of command tasks without worrying about safety. Despite the end of the Cold War, the Cheyenne Mountain military base still exists to this day. A logistics support team of 900 people is responsible for the operation of the base.