War and defence
World War II
World War II brought overwhelming change to the Peninsula with the building up of a substantial local defence presence. During World War II, thousands of American servicemen were stationed at the Naval Base at Rosneath. There was also the naval hospital at Portkil and a number of other defence-related establishments. Today, little remains at Rosneath to show just how big the operation there was. The story of the Rosneath Naval Base is recounted here by Dennis Royal, but for a really detailed picture, you will need to read his book United States Navy Base Two: Americans at Rosneath 1941-45.
Post war years
In the years following World War II, the Navy used the Gareloch as a mooring area for redundant battleships. Brian Salmon tells the story of 'Cocooning'.
The Cold War and after
Though the Clyde Naval Base (Faslane) has been in operation since World War II, it was during the tense years of the Cold War that it assumed a key role in the UK's defence strategy. The relatively secluded, deep and easily navigable lochs of the Firth of Clyde and the access they provided to the North Atlantic made it an ideal base for the UK's nuclear deterrent. With the UK's acquisition of the Polaris missile system in the 1960's, four new Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines were constructed and these were permanently based at Faslane.
In the 1980's, Polaris was replaced with the Trident missile system and four new submarines were built and were also based at Faslane.
As the main employer in the area, the Ministry of Defence presence has a significant impact on the local economy and life. It also reluctantly brings in train a host of semi-regular nuclear protests. The protestors are a continuing presence and have a permannent 'Peace Camp' close to the base.