Matzke publishes article on impact of Atlas missiles on Great Plains

Rebecca Matzke, associate dean of academic affairs, chair of history and the Ralph Hale Ruppert Distinguished Professor of American History, Principles and Traditions had her article “The Cold War Public Relations Campaign for the Atlas Missile and Nuclear Deterrent Strategy in the Great Plains, 1958–1962” published in War in History, a peer-reviewed history journal.

Matzke’s research focuses on the social history of Atlas missiles in Nebraska. She investigates how the U.S. government chose to place these weapons, what they did to convince the local population that this was a good idea, how Nebraskans reacted to the whole project and what effects the missiles had on Nebraska.

“I’m grateful to have this article published and to get this new research out into the world,” Matzke said. “The local history aspect of the Cold War has been getting more attention among historians in the last decade or so, and I’m glad to be a part of that.”

This research is a departure from her earlier research into British diplomatic and naval history, although both projects involve the concept of deterrence in international relations.

Matzke is from a small town in Nebraska that housed one of the Atlas missiles between 1962 and 1965. The empty missile silo is still there, now covered over by the county roads department.

Her interest in writing on the missiles began when her husband came across a digitized copy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1962 report on the construction of Atlas missile silos around Lincoln, Nebraska. The report contained clippings from local newspapers about the project, and she was curious what Nebraskans thought about hosting nuclear weapons.

“I thought the Atlas project seemed like a great way to explore how local history intersected with a more well-known national and international history of the Cold War,” Matzke said. “As a native Nebraskan, I got the bonus of getting to learn more about a new aspect of places and people I was already familiar with.”

For example, her recent article discusses how the U.S. Air Force partnered with Nebraska department stores to create exhibits for shoppers about the Atlas missiles being installed nearby.

Matzke said her research helps her students and classes in several ways.

“For one thing, it helps me add depth and interesting stories to my Cold War class,” Matzke said. “We discuss the nuclear arms race, ideas of strategic deterrence and the cultural aspects of the Cold War conflict. I can give the students sources I’ve found in my research — photos, newspaper articles, interviews — that really help them to think about how ordinary Americans experienced what might seem like great big national issues.”

She said that getting her own research published allows her to better help her students understand their own research.

“Being active in research makes me a better mentor to history students since I’m practicing the methods I’m teaching them about and can give them concrete advice for their own research,” Matzke said. “And a published article as an outcome might make that advice even more credible.”