In the 1960s, the U.S. military built something that sounds like a movie: a giant city buried deep inside the ice of Greenland. It was called Camp Century. On the outside, the government told the world it was just a place for scientists to study the Arctic. But on the inside, it was a secret military base designed for a mission called "Project Iceworm."
The plan was to hide hundreds of nuclear missiles under the ice where the Soviet Union could never find them. As the world looks at Greenland again in 2026, this "ghost base" is a reminder that the island has always been one of the most important pieces on the global map.
Inside the Underground City
Camp Century was an engineering miracle. Soldiers and scientists lived in tunnels carved directly into the frozen ground. It wasn't just a camp; it was a fully functioning town.
-
Nuclear Power: The base was powered by a portable nuclear reactor, the first of its kind.
-
The Tunnels: There were over 2 miles of tunnels that included labs, a hospital, a library, and even a bowling alley.
-
The Goal: The military wanted to build a railway system under the ice that would constantly move 600 nuclear missiles across an area the size of New York state.
Project Iceworm: The Secret Missile Mission
The U.S. wanted Greenland because it is halfway between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. If a war broke out, missiles launched from Greenland would reach their targets much faster than missiles launched from the United States.
However, the "Iceworm" plan failed for a simple reason: the ice wasn't stable. The giant sheets of ice were moving and shifting faster than the engineers expected. The tunnels started to cave in and twist, making it impossible to keep the missiles safe or the railroad running. By 1967, the military packed up and left, leaving the base—and its toxic waste—buried under the snow.
Why Greenland Matters in 2026
Today, Greenland is back in the news for two big reasons: Security and Climate Change.
-
The Thaw: As the earth gets warmer, the ice covering Camp Century is melting. This is a problem because the radioactive waste and fuel left behind in the 1960s might eventually leak into the ocean.
-
New Ambitions: In 2026, the U.S. and other big countries are interested in Greenland again. They want to control the Arctic shipping routes that are opening up as the ice melts, and they want to protect the region from rivals.
A Frozen Prize
The story of Camp Century shows that Greenland has been a "strategic prize" for decades. What started as a secret nuclear hideout is now a major focus of modern politics. The base under the ice is a "time capsule" from the Cold War that proves whoever controls the Arctic has a massive advantage in global power.
Comments