The Cold War and the War on Terror

1008 words 5 pages
Show More
Eerily, it seems that during the Cold War and the War on Terror, many of the feelings that citizens felt were the same, but what America called the enemy was different. Following the September 11th attacks, there was a feeling of paranoia felt throughout America similar to the paranoia felt during the Cold War. Americans did not feel safe, and an attack could come at any time. The fight on the home front looked different during the Cold War and the War on Terrorism. During the Cold War there was more of a correlation between fighting Communism, and buying consumer goods. During the war on terrorism Americans were asked to give up some of their rights in order to maintain their safety. There is an abundance of similarities between …show more content…

Both Watchmen and Dr. Strangelove imply that the Cold War dichotomy was evil vs. evil. The War on Terror has also received quite a bit of criticism from popular culture. The song Road to Joy by Bright Eyes suggests Americans become more vocal about their displeasure with the War on Terror, “When you’re asked to fight a war that’s over nothing/it’s best to join the side that’s going to win/no one’s sure how all of this got started/but we’re going to make them Goddamn certain how it’s going to end/” Suggesting that the war is being fought over nothing, challenges the dichotomy of good versus evil. Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 examines the War on Terror from an openly biased Liberal point of view. The film makes a lot of outlandish claims, and has been ridiculed for being manipulative. However, there is a static given during the film that could not have been manipulated. Only one member of Congress has a child that is enlisted in the military. When the people who decide if we go to war refuse to send their children to war, they should rethink if the war is worth fighting. The Cold War and the War on Terror had a vast amount of similarities. They both were wars where America was fighting an idea as opposed to an identifiable enemy. While both wars dealt with potential threat, the Cold War’s potential threat was on a much larger scale. The Cold War seemed to be better received by the American people. If you compare the criticisms of the

Related

  • Realism vs. Idealism: How American Foreign Policy Has Changed Since World War Ii
    2598 words | 11 pages

    Realism vs. Idealism: How American Foreign Policy Has Changed Since World War II Throughout the first 125 years of her history, the United States was, for the most part, an isolationist nation. After the onset of two world wars, however, America moved from an isolationist stance to become one of the world’s two superpowers. This stance would remain for almost 50 years, until the Soviet Union would come crashing down, leaving America standing as the lone superpower. But how did American foreign….

    Show More
  • Comparison of the 1938 Munich Crisis and 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and the Role of Nuclear Arms
    2586 words | 11 pages

    Reynolds 2008). The outcomes of the two historic events are vastly different. For instance, the Munich crisis eventually became a prelude to World War II that dragged Great Britain to war with Germany. The Cuban Missile Crisis turned out to be….

    Show More
  • Travel Broaden the Mind
    6657 words | 27 pages

    in unhelpful ways. However, the significance and consequences of the definitional debate go far beyond such narrow academic confines, important as they are to the field. Rather, the issue of definition is central to the way in which the Global War on Terror is prosecuted by the authorities both domestically and overseas. It also affects the way in which….

    Show More
  • What Were the Causes and Concequences of the Spanish Civil War?
    2255 words | 10 pages

    and consequences of the Spanish civil war? The Spanish Civil War had been majorly caused by a series of long-term events and short-term events which had contributed to its outbreak in July 17th, 1936. The consequences of the Spanish Civil War may be divided in terms of its effect on Spain and its effect upon the rest of the world. Paul Preston argues that the war had been influenced by a series of events, which had built up until the final eruption of the war in 1936. Preston argues that the social….

    Show More
  • Terrorism – Is There Any Working Global Frameworks to Counter It?
    3725 words | 15 pages

    ” According to the League of Nations Convention from 1937, terrorism is: “All criminal action against countries whose goal is to create a state of terror in the minds of people, groups of people or society.” After the war, United Nations attempted to define terrorism. Unfortunately it faced numerous problems, which prevented that. During the Cold War, terrorism has become one of the methods of struggle between the empires and often the only weapon of liberation movements. Especially great emotions….

    Show More
  • Evolution of Airpower
    2903 words | 12 pages

    subject that he needed to be briefed on. With that being said, the outline I intend to follow is: I. The Wright Brothers II. World War I III. Between the Wars IV. World War II V. The Cold War The Wright Brothers It has been almost 110 years since the Wright Brothers made their first powered flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. I believe it is highly….

    Show More
  • His 135 Week 9 Final Project
    3550 words | 15 pages

    History 135 Week 9 Final Project: “The Most Significant Events”: When most people are taught about U.S. history, we think of mostly the bad times like the wars, the civil rights movements, President Kennedy’s and M. L. King Jr’s associations, just to name a few. In this paper I will discuss those and more going into the start of the 21st century. The previous five decades consisting of the 1950s into the millennium happened during the U.S. History equally turbulent, but exciting. There….

    Show More
  • No Easy Day Book Review
    1227 words | 5 pages

    The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday “The only easy day was yesterday” is a motto or way of life of the United States Navy SEALs. SEALs stands for sea, air, and land which is the work place for Navy SEALs. They are the worlds best maritime special operators. SEAL Team Six is the group that killed Osama Bin Laden. Mark Owen was a member of SEAL Team Six and was on the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden and many other less known missions. In the autobiography No Easy Day, Mark takes us into….

    Show More
  • French Counterinsurgency Failures in the Algerian War of 1954-62
    1525 words | 7 pages

    behavior and policy of French government with contempt at their perceived arrogance. An example can be found in the case of Algeria’s decolonization. The failures and arrogance of the French allowed insurgents to emerge the victors of the Algerian War of 1954-1962. To understand why this occurred, it is imperative to examine how French military arrogance, political arrogance, and a failure to use military and political capabilities in….

    Show More
  • Ukraine crisis briefing paper
    1550 words | 7 pages

    further action. Fair elections in Russia are now rarity, autocrats secure it through economic growth, anti West nationalism or war. Putin has now prioritized nationalism and military and has put oil aside for the time being. A country becomes very vulnerable to economic openness and investments leave the country. In order to retain support, the regime further escalates war tensions. Dangers. The situation in Ukraine is already critical and it does not need much to escalate what already….

    Show More

Popular Essays