Shutting Down the Cold War: The Politics of Military Base Closure

By David S. Sorenson

Book Overview

In a process described by its critics as 'brutal' and 'heartless, ' a group of faceless commissioners closed down almost 100 military bases between 1989 and 1995. The process was hailed as a means to 'take politics out of base closure, ' and it succeeded insofar as surplus bases closed after a ten-year hiatus. But, as this book indicates, the politics of base protection continued. In Shutting Down the Cold War, David Sorenson finds that the most powerful congressional representatives protected bases in their states and districts, and as a consequence the military never got as many bases closed as they desired. In this volume Sorenson unveils the political factors behind the process of military base closure, using three analytical models to examine the different levels of response to the procedure. He also reveals the ways in which base closure is a classic example of governmental reduction, to be studied for lessons about both the benefits and the hazards of government contraction.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312210906
• ISBN13: 9780312210908
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT, HARD- TO- PUT- DOWN BOOK!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I anticipated that all the mind boggling details would make it somewhat dry, but ITS NOT! I loved reading this book. The author has presented an exceptionally well written interesting book with an unbelievable amount of knowledge and factual, well-researched details of the (sometimes purportedly dirty-)politics, histories, and fate of the military bases, and he covers very many of them. I was a child of the military, and so many bases that the author writes about were ones that I either lived on, was born on, had friends living on, or knew about. For me this was a somewhat poignant book, a little sadness and longing for the greatness of what was, and what is now gone. Life on the military bases was very special. And the author quotes a particular military Chaplain who states: "Military personnel have invested more than time in their workplace. They have an emotional investment that carries no measurable price tag. They have established relationships.....that enhance one's patriotic and family commitments. Bases become in other words, home to the people who live on, them however briefly" I knew then why so many of us who lived on Military bases in the 60's & 70's have sought eachother out through websites to connect again. Those resurrected relationships are still very special. This book will go down as one of my all time favorite, and I will pass it on to my dad, who will pass it on to my young nephew going into the military. I HIGHLY recommend the book, and in fact, I looked for the author on the internet to see if I could contact him to let him know how much I appreciated the book, but couldnt find. Hopefully he will read this review! MANY ACCOLADES AND THANKS FOR GIVING US THIS BOOK, DAVID S. SORENSON!