mil·i·tary | ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē 1
- of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war
- of or relating to armed forces
Military
The American West, and deserts in particular, have often been seen as places of expansionist visions. This includes using it as a place for military practices, often claiming so-called “unproductive” land to test out nuclear weapons and artillery.
The Badlands is surrounded by, and includes, histories of these kinds.
The South Unit of the Badlands National Park was seized during WWII from the Oglala Lakota and turned into an Aerial Gunnery Range2. Residents were given under two weeks to leave.
Just outside the entrance to the Badlands National Park is the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.3
1. "military." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2021. Web. 7 December 2021.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/military ︎︎︎
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/military ︎︎︎
National Park Service, Badlands Aerial Gunnery Range, November 10, 2020.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/aerial-gunnery-range.htm ︎︎︎
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/aerial-gunnery-range.htm ︎︎︎
National Park Service, Minuteman Missile, July 7, 2020.
https://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm ︎︎︎