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Basic Encyclopedia
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<p>The <i>Basic Encyclopedia</i> is an encyclopedia of the <a href="/facts/US_Air_Force/7MxWBYlc">US Air Force</a> that lists places that are targets for bombing. It was begun in 1946 during the <a href="/facts/Cold_War/spJdJQ3q">Cold War</a> as the <i>Bombing Encyclopedia</i> and included over 80,000 potential targets around the world during the <a href="/facts/Cold_War/spJdJQ3q">Cold War</a>. It included their B.E. number (which consisted of an eight digit identifier), a brief description, longitude and latitude, elevation, and category (military, industrial, or an airfield). The title was changed to <i>Basic Encyclopedia</i> in the 1960s or 1970s before its publication ended in 1973. The encyclopedia was computerized and used in the <a href="/facts/Defense_Intelligence_Agency/lo2KYneo">Defense Intelligence Agency</a>'s Automated Installation File. </p>