The decommissioning of the Cold War military sites in Italy: the case of the Nike missile complexes (1958-1997)

The paper presents the current research on decommissioned military sites and artefacts built during the Cold War in Italy. The aims are the identification and knowledge of the military complexes built from 1947 to 1989. Most of the sites studied are part of peculiar systems that have become obsolete and decommissioned after short use, in some cases, before the period of contention between the two blocks. These include missile sites (Jupiter, Nike, Hawk, Cruise), telecommunications sites (Ace High Tropo Scatter) research and communications sites (test sites, NATO headquarters). The analysis of the buildings highlights the strict connection between military strategy, architecture and technology they had to host. The research focuses only on the decommissioned military sites: the artefacts become available as assets valuable for their possible use by the communities. In addition to the historical and architectural studies, the timing and modalities of the decommissioning process have been investigated. This process is exemplified in the paper by the Nike missile sites in the northeastern part of Italy. This situation opens a compelling reflection on how to preserve, reuse, or notify these material testimonies, which used to contain the most dangerous weapons in circulation at the time.