I figli di Maria. Storia di una caserma, una valle e un confine

This contribution examines the territorial effects of the Cold War and détente through the case of the But Valley, on the border between Italy and Austria. Here, the military presence, consolidated in the 1950s and 1960s with the Maria Plozner Mentil barracks, deeply interacted with the local economy and society, generating both opportunities and constraints. The demilitarization launched in the 1970s opened new prospects for development, linked to tourism, cross-border cooperation, and infrastructure projects such as the Monte Croce Carnico tunnel. This experience shows that détente was not only a political-diplomatic process, but also a phenomenon that concretely affected border communities, redefining socio-economic balances and leaving behind contrasting legacies between military memory and new visions of integration