A Study Of The Nevada Nuclear Test Site From The Perspective Of Cold War Environmental History

Environmental histories of the Cold War is a new research field formed on the basis of the environmental problems caused by the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union and the ever-expanding academic background of military environmental history.It interprets the Cold War from the perspective of environmental history and focuses on the environmental consequences caused by the Cold War and its influence on the Cold War process.As an important national defense military facility of the United States during the Cold War period,Nevada nuclear test site was closely related to the Cold War situation from its establishment,operation and the gradual cessation of nuclear test project in the later period.The Korean war in1950 directly promoted the establishment of Nevada nuclear test field,then a large number of nuclear tests conducted here not only intensified the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union,but also caused serious environmental problems,causing great harm to the natural ecology and human health,which triggered strong outcry from the American people and the international community.Facing the strong demand of the international community for the nuclear test ban,the United States and the Soviet Union launched a diplomatic offensive on the nuclear test ban issue in order to gain a dominant position in the international public opinion.Under the impetus of international public opinion,the United States and the Soviet Union negotiated on the issue of nuclear test ban,thus promoting the limited restrictions on nuclear tests by both sides.The United States and the Soviet Union took the issue of controlling nuclear pollution as an opportunity to build a platform for communication and strengthen consultation,and the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union showed a tendency of relaxation.This not only reduced the damage to the environment,but also eased the situation of the Cold War to a certain extent.The situation of the Cold War and the environmental issues had a connection and interaction,and the subsequent ecological restoration of the Nevada nuclear test site also provided historical experience and lessons for the world to learn from.This paper takes the Nevada Nuclear Test Site of the United States as the research object,and makes a historical review of the construction background and process of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site,the environmental problems caused by nuclear tests,the protests of the American people and the countermeasures of the government.On this basis,from the perspective of Cold War environmental history,this paper explains the relationship between the environmental problems of the Nevada nuclear test site and the Cold War,and analyzes the interaction between the environment and the Cold War situation.