Cold War Kent

For almost forty-five years following the end of the Second World War, the world held its breath as the spectre loomed of an even more terrible and devastating conflict. The wartime alliance that had won the war had split into two powerful opposing blocs, with the western powers headed by the United States on one side and the Communist world led by the Soviet Union on the other, both armed with nuclear weapons.Britain played a significant role in what became known as the Cold War. As a senior member of NATO, with its own independent nuclear deterrent, the country was also a prime target for Soviet attack. The nation’s defences remained on a high state of readiness throughout this time of geopolitical tensions. Unlike previous World Wars, the country was not faced with the prospect of an enemy invasion, but the probability of attack by nuclear armed missiles and bombs, and had to organise its defences accordingly.Kent had always been regarded as Britain’s front-line county and this role continued throughout the Cold War when it was home to many important military bases and installations. In this book, local author and historian Clive Holden explores those significant sites across the county including RAF West Malling, Chatham Dockyard Nuclear Complex and HMS Wildfire the underground naval command centre, and explains the role they played in the Cold War.Following the demise of the Soviet Union most of these installations fell out of use and were abandoned - and in some cases demolished to make way for housing and industrial estates – while others have been redeveloped or restored as museums. However, some military sites, although no longer active, can still be traced and remain as testament to this chapter of Britain’s military history.