Cold War vs. Today's Terrorism Threat

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Running head: COLD WAR NUCLEAR THREAT/TERRORISM THREAT Cold War Nuclear Threat/Today’s Terrorism Threat Bart Anderson University of Phoenix HIS 145 Erik Johnsen May 24, 2012 America enjoyed a booming economic growth period soon after World War II. The 1950’s and early 60’s were a period of personal/national prosperity as the country’s population, economic growth, and urban areas grew fast and furious (Brinkley, 2012). Even though the ‘War to end all wars’ was becoming a faded memory, a new ‘threat’ emerged which seemed to capture the fears and anxieties of U.S. citizens just as firmly as the fear of evil axis power regimes – it was the threat of communism and nuclear war. Ironically some of the attitudes and actions regarding today’s ‘terrorist threat’ mirror several events of the cold war and occurrences regarding government response and propaganda. The following will examine some aspects of life during the cold war and living under the ‘threat’ of a nuclear exchange, as well as the similarities/differences between the perceived nuclear threat of the 50’s and 60’s and the ‘terrorism threat’ in today’s American society. Soon after World War II American society rode high on a wave of pride, success, innovation, and swift economic expansion. The invention and popularity of television created a new avenue with which to view the world (Brinkley, 2012). It brought local, domestic, and global events directly in to one’s living room and became a powerful tool for marketing to the new and successful American lifestyle. Television also became a stage to fiercely promote national attitudes, concerns, and agendas as well (Brinkley, 2012). Although the Cold War era is noted as a time of prosperity and innocence, American citizens were constantly reminded about the threat of Communism and the possibility of a future nuclear attack on domestic
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