Camp Century, the US Army’s under-ice Arctic base: A story of Cold War--and contemporary—geopolitics in Greenland

Camp Century, the US Army’s under-ice Arctic base: A story of Cold War--and contemporary—geopolitics in Greenland

Author: Eric Paglia February 16, 2022 Duration: 39:57
Camp Century, a 1960s US Army base embedded in the Greenland ice sheet, was not only a High Arctic test site for advanced technologies—including a modular nuclear reactor—and secret military schemes at the height of the Cold War, but also a seminal location for the extraction of ice cores that would become an important baseline for modern climate science. Associate professor Kristian H. Nielsen of Aarhus University, who-coauthored a definitive account of this fascinating chapter of Cold War history, “Camp Century: The Untold Story of America's Secret Arctic Military Base Under the Greenland Ice” (Columbia University Press, 2021), joins the podcast to discuss this audacious geostrategic initiative and its enduring afterlife that has continued to complicate Denmark-US-Greenland relations for over 60 years. 

Hosted by Eric Paglia, Polar Geopolitics-Arctic and Antarctic analysis digs into the complex forces shaping the world's most remote frontiers. This isn't just a geography lesson; it's a deep exploration of how power, policy, and environmental crisis collide at the poles. Each conversation moves beyond headlines to examine the underlying strategic currents, from the scramble for critical raw materials in Greenland to the delicate governance of the Antarctic Treaty System. You'll hear leading researchers and policymakers unpack the realities of great power competition, where the interests of the United States, China, and Russia intersect with melting ice and emerging sea routes. The discussions regularly grapple with the role of institutions like the Arctic Council, the nuances of science diplomacy, and even the unsettling potential for hybrid warfare in these fragile environments. By applying a sharp geopolitical lens, the podcast reveals how climate change and national ambition are inextricably linked, making the polar regions central to understanding our global future. Tune in for thoughtful, expert-driven analysis that connects distant ice caps to the core issues of international affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

Polar Geopolitics - Arctic and Antarctic analysis
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