Cold War California: In Defense of Democracy

California stood on the front lines of the Cold War, helping shape the technologies, aircraft, and leaders that prevented a third world war. Explore the remarkable innovations that emerged from Muroc Field, Edwards Air Force Base, Lockheed’s legendary Skunk Works, and the development of iconic aircraft including the U-2 Dragon Lady and SR-71 Blackbird.

Cold War historians Francis Gary Powers Jr. and Franky Ortega reveal how California became the epicenter of aerospace innovation, intelligence gathering, and technological advancement while highlighting the remarkable individuals whose vision changed history. This fascinating presentation offers an inside look at one of the most important—and often overlooked—chapters in American aviation.

The focal point of western defense against Soviet aggression during the Cold War, California proved instrumental in preventing a Third World War during the twentieth century. The state’s major military presence on land, air, and sea diverged with a peaceful counterpart that created the United Nations in San Francisco in 1946. Muroc Field, the future Edward Air Force Base, was the site of Chuck Yeager’s feat breaking the sound barrier in 1947, and Lockheed Skunkworks produced the top-secret high-tech U2 Dragon Lady and SR-71 in Southern California. Cold War presidents, stalwarts Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, both hailed from the Golden State. Billionaire Howard Hughes, who made his mark in aviation and the movies, provided cover for the Glomar Explorer mission to recover a sunken Soviet submarine in the Pacific. U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers called the San Fernando Vally home between 1963 – 1977 while working as a test pilot for Lockheed and later as a news reported for KGIL radio station and KNBC News Channel 4. Hollywood was a two-sided coin, supporting both pro-American movie messaging and becoming a flash point for government investigations into Communist sympathies.

Program is included with regular museum admission and is free for current PSAM members. Kids 12 & under free with paid adult admission.