Cheese Caves

The Cold War was a strange and rather unique time in history. Nuclear weapons were a big concern, and the United States government felt a need to be prepared…just in case. The Cold War was primarily caused by ideological differences, geopolitical tensions, and the power vacuum left after World War II, leading to a prolonged rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Because the United States didn’t know if the Soviets would dare to launch a nuclear weapon, they decided that it was necessary to prepare for the possibility of a long nuclear winter…which would actually last for years. Many people thought, and possibly for good reason, that the Soviet government was insane.

While the logic was great, the procedure seems more than a little strange to me. Nevertheless, I suppose it could have and probably would have worked, in the event of that nuclear attack. The government’s solution was to construct massive underground bunkers filled with processed cheese as emergency food supplies for surviving a nuclear apocalypse. When I read this, I first thought, “What???” It seemed as insane as I knew the Soviets were. These “cheese caves” were carved into limestone formations in Missouri and other states. They stored millions of pounds of government-surplus cheese wheels that could feed survivors for years after a nuclear attack. That seems absolutely incredible. Of course, I know cheese can last a long time, but years…really. I’m no expert, so I would have no idea, I guess, but the government thought it would work.

What started as a simple agricultural policy to support dairy farmers eventually morphed into part of the national defense strategy, with military planners convinced cheese was vital for survival after a nuclear disaster. At this point, if you’re like me, you are thinking, “Who’s crazy idea was this?” I mean, I know cheese is good for us, but as the whole diet…I just don’t know. Nevertheless, the government officials were convinced that the plan had merit. Officials regularly checked the underground cheese reserves, rotating stock and testing for radiation resistance to make sure the dairy would still be safe to eat after fallout. Kept under tight security and absolute secrecy, access to the cheese bunkers was limited to authorized personnel who treated them like classified national security assets. This odd mix of farming policy and doomsday planning turned the government into one of America’s biggest cheese hoarders, holding enough reserves to feed entire cities during a long-term collapse. While it was a viable plan, I guess…I’m sure that many people were thankful it was never needed. first the idea of living underground for years at a time, and second, the idea of eating just cheese…seriously, both are unthinkable.