This English Heritage publication is fascinating, in large part because it is as an English Heritage work magisterial in its scope taking account not just the high profile and well known places and structures of the Cold War, like Greenham Common and the Golf Balls of the North York Moors, but all sorts of minor structures and 'backroom' places.
That magisterial scope can at times lead to a monotony of detail - for example the countless plans of very similar structures however this detail might be the delight of a specialist reader (for example the plans show male and female toilets and the relative sizes would be important to someone with an interest in the gender dynamics of the staffing the Cold War).
That said the thematically organised chapters do have an engaging sense of narrative and serve to very accessibly demonstrate the links between the shifting government policies and the build environment. These structures are prehaps the most effective barometers as for most of the period of the Cold War the defence budget was such that the Forces could build whatever the moment said they needed and policy is not masked by a "make-do and mead" approach.
What is most shocking is the move away from underground bunkers and heavy reinforcements that occurred as the 'MAD' (Mutually Assured Destruction) policy took hold - because taking MAD seriously there was no sense in even attempting survival once the sequence of attacks had begun. It is this rational / bureaucratic manifestation of the policy's insanity that is genuinely chilling. The book does not pass judgement on the policies, it merely recounts them as the backdrop to the structural remains - but like the tales of a night of drunken excess 'merely' retelling them in the sober light of day is often judgement enough.
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