Premium Essay

Cold War vs. War on Terror

In:

Submitted By amandamosley1
Words 3840
Pages 16
The Cold War period lasted for nearly 45 years, from 1945 to 1991. It began at the end of the Second World War and with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war was the stage for the West's struggle against communist ideas and changes. This long wearing conflict brought to pass an increase in production and trade of arms and an appearance of a new world order formed by America. The main principle of the cold war can be seen as the East-West competition in ideas, arms and spheres of influence. (REF)

After Afghan terrorists dramatically attacked the United States on September 11, 2001; America declared a war on terror and flew its troops into Afghanistan in pursuit of avenging their nation and capturing al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Again America found itself in opposition to the East, nevertheless this time a different region. And Again the East was fighting against this new world order and America's quest for world domination in a globalising world.
The aim of the essay is to explore the relationship between the cold war and the ‘war on terror' in Afghanistan and to find similarities in political patterns and warfare, in order to answer the question

Main Body
- History
Main question - Relationship
The cold war marked the struggle between America and the USSR after the Second World War. The war influenced international affairs majorly. It influenced the way conflicts were handled, the way countries were divided up and the increasing growth in weaponry production. The United States of America as well as the USSR had weapons of mass destructions in nuclear form, which formed a global threat for all humanity. However, both superpowers were aware of the exceeding dangers of their nuclear weapons. Therefore they would not fight an open war against each other. However they fought wars by proxy, supporting other countries to fight each other on their behalf.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Cold War Vs War On Terror

...The Cold War and War on Terror were literally not any typical war that we witnessed throughout history. Although, they were unique and each had their own causes and effects, yet in some ways they are connected. In the Cold War, was a war between two superpowers enemies but no actual fighting occurred, however, there was a stockpile of nuclear weapons and money was being spent like an actually Wars being fought. This war causes a bipolar system in the world where there were two dominant powers fighting to become the dominant power. The Cold War was a real complicated war because it was more a fight about ideology, Democracy and Communism. The attacks of 9/11 that caused the death of 3000 Americans, have reshaped and changed the way Americans...

Words: 1406 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Cold War and the War on Terror

...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 the Cold War and the War and Terror. In Echoes of the Cold War, Elaine Tyler May says, “The war against terrorism, like the struggle against Communism, defines the enemy as a worldwide conspiracy…with operatives infiltrating the United States.” In both wars, America was not just fighting a group of people; America was also fighting an idea. In the Cold war, America was fighting of Communism. The USA believed they were truly free, and that in order for other countries to be truly free they had to embrace capitalism and consumerism. America tried to spread capitalism to Vietnam and Korea by fighting in those countries, similarly to how America tried to bring Democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan. In the War on Terrorism, the idea that America was...

Words: 998 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

New World Order

...------------------------------------------------- THE NEW WORLD ORDER Terms by George Bush Senior Can be generally divided into three stages of transformation: * From the end of the Cold War until 9/11 * From 9/11 until the Global Financial Crisis * From the GFC to present day ------------------------------------------------- From the Cold War until 9/11 * Period from 1989 until 2011 * After a stagnant period, the 1990s turned into a decade of economic growth * Globalization saw a technological revolution * Number of states increased at the UN 1989: End of power politics * End of Bipolarity – The Cold War was marked as an era of bipolarity in which the US-inspired capitalist system ‘played off’ against the Soviet-inspired ‘state socialism’. * NATO vs WARSAW PACT; US dollar system played off by COMECON * Move towards Perestroika effectively killed off competition – leading to a reduction of ideological contestation End of Ideology/ Victory of Capitalism? * Belief that capitalism ‘triumphed’ over socialism – greater expansion of capitalist norms. * TINA syndrome. With the exception of a few ‘rogue’ states, most have realized its best to ‘play’ the game and embraced market values. * Led to: * 1. The ‘Retreat of the State’ argument * 2. The ‘End of History thesis’ Post-Cold War Triumphantism * Led to the liberalization moves in the 1990s and the renewal of International Organizations * Increase in collective forms of Security ...

Words: 577 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Foreign Policy Analysis

...In what ways is foreign policy a problem of identity and alterity? Foreign policy is in every way a problem of identity and alterity because identification of the “foreign” exists at the very core of every decision making process in foreign policy. Foreign policy is defined as the strategy or approach chosen by the national government to achieve its goals in its relations with external entities (Hudson, 2008). It should not be understood as a bridge between preexisting states with secure identities. Rather, foreign policy is concerned about the establishment of the boundaries that constitute the state and the international system. There is a dichotomy here between the Self (the state) and the Other (the international system) (Campbell, 1998). In this context, the concepts of identity and alterity are inextricably tied together because defining oneself necessarily entails an “othering” process where one’s identity is built on what it is not, rather than what it is. In essence, identity is built on alterity. Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that the identity of a state is more than just something that is derived from a process of contradistinction. It is not a stable, single unitary “I”. It is a condition that has depth, is multilayered, possesses texture and comprises many dimensions. (Campbell, 1998) The identity of the state is also constantly in flux, being shaped constantly by both external and internal forces. With the process of globalization, the divide between...

Words: 2181 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Clash of Civilizations

...context of the end of the cold war. The idea of “clash of civilizations” suggests that twenty-first century global order will be characterized by growing tension and conflict between rival cultures or civilizations, as opposed to the political, ideological or economic conflict of old. Huntington furthermore argued that the world was split into 9 different civilizational orders, and the West would clash with all of them, but in particular it would clash with the Islamic world, Japan and Russia. The realists have given little attention to the issue of identity or cultural politics. They focus on the behavior of states. However the liberals have recognized this thesis to some extent. Huntington’s view that the West would clash with the Islamic world was vindicated after the September 11th terrorist attacks, neoconservatives looking for a response distanced themselves from Huntington’s rhetoric. Neoconservative George W Bush was keen to emphasize that not all Muslims were to blame for 9/11, and indeed it was just a tiny minority of extremists holding the Islamic world back. Whereas Huntington had argued that the Islamic world was hostile to western ideas of liberal democracy, George W Bush ignored this insight and fought two wars to try and bring democracy to the Middle East, ignoring Huntington’s claim that there would be a backlash if Western values were spread through force. Thus the neoconservatives would view the war on Terror not as a cultural war, as Huntington and most other...

Words: 1503 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Regan Revolution Through President Obama

...Regan Revolution through President Obama Kelly B. Turner Tonya Simmons Contemporary US History Strayer University 06 September 2012 During the time period under discussion from the Regan Revolution to our current President Obama, one major historical turning point was the creation of the Internet. This vast network of linked computers that allowed information to be shared easily and instantly, propelled the information technology of personal computers and cell phones forward at high speed. (Schultz, 2011) The ways that the Internet has changed life in the United States over the past two decades is vast. The economy has widely changed in this new age of technology, American companies reached overseas markets, businesses could broaden their customer base, and computers helped to streamline the manufacturing process. (Schultz, 2011) Fewer Americas read newspapers in the 21st century; instead, they are updated minute by minute on all things news, sports, even keeping up with what their friends ate for lunch via any number of social media outlets. With this burst in IT development came the race to create powerful technology so small that it will fit in a person’s pocket. Americans are not only connected to the world and each other at any given moment of the day, most now have constant access to very powerful computers the size of their hands. Another shift in the culture is the documentation of people’s lives. Every event is documented and publicized...

Words: 1521 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

John F. Kennedy Argumentative Essay

...reason and he was a threat to the evil rich man control. Both Kennedy and Roosevelt want freedom and liberty for all american citizen. Even though Roosevelt wanted peace he did what he had to do for millions of people around the globe. Kennedy wanted peace all around the globe a nation under god ,but he was shot. Both presidents tried to bring necessary changes Roosevelt created change with war kennedy tried to make change with peace. Both Kennedy and Roosevelt wanted peace and freedom . Roosevelt wanted to stay neutral in ww2 but once the japs bombed...

Words: 469 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Hiroshima

...destruction and deterioration on human health. |emitted in a nuclear explosion and what effect do they have on human | |Not a thesis statement but a statement of fact. |beings? | |Try: Why is it best for nuclear attack victims to be right at Ground |http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/ocr_gateway_pre_2011| |Zero? |/living_future/4_nuclear_radiation1.shtml | |Working Thesis Statement: Countries may use the nuclear weapons in |Oral Presentation Thesis Statement (must be based on PART of the | |future because of the possibility of religious war and the other |research project): The time between 1946 and 2012, no atomic bomb had| |reasons. |been used even as an overt thread threat in any warpolitical crisis, | |I will argue that there is a strong possibility that nuclear weapons |the reasons … (I will find by researching.) | |will be used in the near future. | | |Will the Bomb Be Used in the Future? | | |Keep it...

Words: 4481 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Console

...our world changed dramatically on September 11, 2001. Our sense of safety, security, and certainty were altered, perhaps for years to come, perhaps for the rest of our professional lives. Although it is clear that our personal, political, and business environments have all been altered, it is not immediately clear how they have been changed; this is, it is not clear what the details of these changes will be, or how we must respond. We now live in a period of greater strategic uncertainty. This brief paper summarizes the results of two workshops held by the Reginald H. Jones Center that attempted to provide some insight into the origins of the current conflict that the U.S. faces in the Middle East, as religious (Islam vs. the West) or economic (the developed West vs. the developing Middle East), or a clash of cultures, or some other form not as yet identified1. The hope was that by developing an understanding of the origins of the conflict, we would develop some insights into the form of the conflict and its duration; this in turn would lead to an understanding of the business implications that might result and strategies that might provide appropriate responses in different strategic contexts. We faced a high level of uncertainty about what had happened and what was likely to happen next, which determined the structure of our workshop. Recent events continue to underscore the importance of this analysis. Defeating the Taliban may not solve our problems with Al Qaeda. Defeating...

Words: 9766 - Pages: 40

Premium Essay

Fictional Essay

...nature, exposing man’s most primal instincts and desires through their characters. I. Irony A. The hunter becomes the hunted. 1. In a conversation about Jaguar hunting with Whitney, Rainsford exclaims, “You’re are a big game hunter, not a philosopher, who cares how a jaguar feels?" (Connell, 1924, p.1). 2. Rainsford is in the place of the prey and Zaroff has the advantage. “It was Rainsford who knew the full meaning of terror”. (Connell, 1924, p.11). 3. Roles reverse and Rainsford kills him in the end. “He had never slept in a better bed”. (Connell, 1924, p.13). B. Unexpected behavior. 4. Trevor the son of an architect becoming a gang leader. (Greene, 1954, p. 1). 5. Moral about Old misery’s money “We aren’t thieves....Nobody is going to steal anything from this house.” (Greene, 1954, p. 6). 6. Food and a blanket is taken to Old Misery “We don’t want you to starve Mr. Thomas” (Greene, 1954, p. 10). II. Conflict C. Rainsford struggle with “Man vs. Self” 7. Rainsford’s survival to stay alive. 8. Rainsford’s wits and state of mind. D. The destruction of Old Misery’s house. 9. Making an impression for society. 10. Becoming well known. III. Theme E. Mankind’s violent nature and need for revenge. F. With no hope an individual may behave in ways that may not be expected. IV. Conclusion Irony, Conflict, and Theme in “The Most Dangerous...

Words: 1137 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Constitution Is Our Way Forward

...Ever since the birth of man, tyranny has existed in some way, and so has mans desire to be free from it. Our forefathers in this country fought and died and risked everything they had in this world just to create a place where we could truly, at least for a time, be free of tyranny. They repelled the greatest empire the world had ever known based on their belief that if they could be free they could change the world for the better. We created more wealth, more art, more innovation, more technology than any other nation in history with our freedom. Our freedoms were protected by a document called the Constitution, a document that provided a very specific rules that the federal government could not violate. In recent years however the constitution has been being worked around, and most recently almost entirely ignored. We are in an out of control financial crisis., and out government is working as hard as it can to find ways to violate our basic fundamental freedoms so it can have more control. We are in so many countries with our army that it’s getting hard to count. We are becoming the very empire we fought so hard to escape. If only we would follow our constitution more closely, we wouldn’t be in this mess. The Constitution ensures that the government has a very limited and specific duty: To provide for the common defense of the nation as a whole, and to provide mechanisms to allow trade between the states, and to other countries. The state governments were given powers above...

Words: 3788 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Bonjour La France: The Cause Of The French Revolution

...In 1770, an age of dangerous vulnerability for European monarchy, Marie Antoinette walked with great expectations into a ticking bomb. Over the previous and next few years, the discontent and anger of the French against their nobility expanded rapidly, people distrusted the way national finances were been managed by the King and his court. (History.com 2009) The French debt increased every year since Louis XIV had made extravagant expenditures on luxuries such as magnifying Versailles. This was compounded by heavy costs of the Seven Years War that his heir, Luis XV financed; Luis XVI invested a large amount in the American War of Independence. “This led to the long-running fiscal crisis of the government. France was deeply indebted, so deeply as to be effectively bankrupt.” (Bonjour La France, Causes of the French Revolution, 2014). On the other hand, the population of France grew abruptly; in 1700 there were approximately 20 million people, only 89 years later the nation counted 10 million more. (Bastille-Day 2015). The French Society of the time was separated into three ranks: The First Estate was the Clergy, The Second Estates were the Nobles and the Third Estate was the Common People. Only the last ones had to pay abusive taxes, mainly to maintain the royal family and court in Versailles. Even though The Third Estate was definitly superior in...

Words: 1065 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

History Ib Review Notes

...Higher Level History Notes 19th Century Russia The Russian people are descendants of the ‘Rus’ who are thought to be a mixture of Scandinavian and Slavic origin and settled in that region out of ± 800 AD Byzantine Empire A major legacy of the Byzantine Empire for the Russians was the eastern orthodox or Greek Orthodox Church With the decline of Byzantium came a wave of conquest from the East, the Mongols until the 15th century (Tatars). To a large extent, the Mongols allowed Russians to maintain their way of life: - Slavic based languages including writing system (Cyrillic) - Orthodox religion The Russians adopted much from Asian culture and this led western Europeans to think less of the Russians Geographically Russia was isolated from the rest of Europe: - Entirely land locked (mostly) - Huge Plains of Eastern Europe prevented overland travel During these early years there were a series of muscovite princes based in Moscow and called themselves Tsars. By the 17th century the Romanov family became the ruling dynasty: - Alexander I (1801-1825) - Nicholas I (1825-1855) - Alexander II (1855-1881) - Alexander III (1881-1894) - Nicholas II (1894-1917) Under the rule of Peter the Great (1689-1728) Russia grew greatly in size and entered the European World www.ibscrewed.org The Russia of 1800 was one of the greatest autocracies in Europe where: - The Tsar’s rule was absolute - There was a small...

Words: 32400 - Pages: 130

Free Essay

Nsa Spy Programs

...intelligence gathering has likewise broadened. One of the most controversial eavesdropping systems in existence is a classified project known as ‘Echelon.’ Its use of computer hardware and software to filter communications from all over the world brings up many ethical issues related to the impact of computers on privacy. Overview of Echelon Most of the evidence for Echelon is circumstantial, though a few facts have been established. The participating organizations (notably the US Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency) have neither confirmed nor denied its existence. In lieu of a discussion of the ethical issues, a brief summary of the current knowledge follows. How it Works Echelon is the product of Cold War efforts to monitor wireless communications in the USSR. It traces its roots back to the clandestine UKUSA alliance, a communications intelligence agreement that dates back from around 1947. Member nations include the US, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is now known that the system has been in existence for at least 20 years.[1] In the past, high frequency radio listening posts were also used to listen to radio communications. Currently, the system is composed of a series of...

Words: 5284 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Imperialism

... Ambert Ho 12/5/03 What Is Imperialism? “Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism…characterized by monopoly corporations and the compulsion to export capital abroad for higher profits. Unlike capitalism in the earlier stages, in the imperialist stage, capitalism has no more progress to bring the world…the cause of contemporary militarism” – Lenin “The policy, practice, or advocacy of seeking, or acquiescing in, the extension of the control, dominion, or empire of a nation, as by the acquirement of new, esp. distant, territory or dependencies, or by the closer union of parts more or less independent of each other for operations of war, copyright, internal commerce, etc.” – Oxford dictionary The word imperialism derives from “empire.” As such, it is useful to spend a bit of time to define the word. In working towards a minimal definition, Stanford Professor of Archaeology J. Manning in his first lecture on Ancient Empires starts with: “An empire is a territorially extensive hierarchically political organization.” Unfortunately this definition is too vague. All states encountered in human history are by definition hierarchical, and many nations today are vast compared to the empires of the ancient world. Thus, Manning rephrases his definition of empire to be: “A territorially extensive hierarchical political organization involving the rule of one or more groups over...

Words: 10655 - Pages: 43