In 1947, Bernard Baruch was a multimillionaire financier who advised presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Harry S. Truman. On this date in 1947, he gave a speech to the South Carolina House of Representatives. During that speech, Baruch introduced a new term into the American consciousness when he said, “Let us not be deceived. We are today in the midst of a Cold War.”
In September, New York Herald columnist Walter Lippmann referred to the “Cold War” in his column, and the new term quickly caught on. It was widely seen as the perfect way to describe the bipolar diplomatic and military rivalry between former allies who had become nuclear superpowers and intense adversaries.
North Dakotans may have thought the Cold War was far away, with little to do with them but that was not the case. The Cold War had a direct impact on the state. North Dakota became a strategic location, housing more than 300 intercontinental ballistic missile sites and 30 anti-ballistic missile locations. These underground missiles were hidden in plain sight, with long fences and warning signs the only indication of what lay beneath the ground.
The missile sites reshaped the Great Plains. Workers seeking good-paying jobs flocked to the region to help build and maintain them. Small towns like Cooperstown experienced economic booms. At the same time, the presence of military installations heightened awareness of global tensions and drew anti-war protests.
North Dakotans held differing views about the Cold War. Some welcomed the jobs and population growth. Others worried that the missiles made the state a likely target. Over time, the long fences surrounding underground silos became a familiar part of daily life.
Today, the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site offers a place to learn about the Cold War in North Dakota. The Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility and the November-33 Launch Facility are the last remaining elements of the 321st Missile Wing, which once stretched across 6,500 acres around Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Politico. “Bernard Baruch coins the term “cold war.” https://www.politico.com/story/2010/04/bernard-baruch-coins-term-cold-war-april-16-1947-035862Accessed 3/30/2026.
- ND Studies. “The Cold War in North Dakota.” https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr8/content/unit-iv-modern-north-dakota-1921-present/lesson-4-alliances-and-conflicts/topic-6-cold-war-north-dakota/section-1-cold-war-north-dakotaAccessed 3/30/2026.
- State Historical Society of North Dakota. “Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site.” https://www.history.nd.gov/historicsites/minutemanmissile/index.htmlAccessed 3/30/26.
