Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War and the 9/11: Three Moments of Watershed in American History - Assignment Example

? #essay Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War and the 9/11: Three Moments of Watershed in American History Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crisis is one the most important moments in the Cold War period, not only for America but also for the whole world. Both the superpowers, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the United States of America were on the verge of nuclear war during the time. The crisis was a conflict among USSR, Cuba and the USA in October 1962. In 1958, the USA installed medium and intermediate range ballistic nuclear missiles in Western European countries, which had threatened the security of the USSR. To retaliate the American aggression, the USSR and the Cuban government surreptitiously started building bases for nuclear missiles in Cuba, this had jeopardized American defense. Kennedy Administration "arbitrarily and superficially made a distinction between the Soviet "offensive" missiles in Cuba and the American "defensive" missiles in Turkey when in fact both were emplaced in allied countries for defensive purposes” (436). During the crisis, both the parties took aggressive stand and shown reluctance to retreat. However, through secret back channel negotiations the crisis ended. The U.S.A. assured the USSR that they would not harm Castro government in Cuba and withdrew all missiles installed in Western countries. On this promise, the USSR uninstalled all missiles from Cuba. However, the Cuban Missile Crisis showed the fallacy of Cold War. People became more aware of leaving politics to the experts as the world could be destroyed by a single atom bomb. Vietnam War The War on Vietnam was one of the blunders ever the United States has made and it subsequently tasted its first ever military defeat. The Vietnam War was not the result of the spontaneous intervention of America in the civil war in Vietnam. Daum et.al are of the view that “by contrast, escalating American involvement in Vietnam and Indochina more generally was charted by a succession of presidents and their civilian and military advisers at the highest levels in Washington” (32). Prolonged military stay in the Vietnam badly affected the reputation of the United States government both within the country and the outside world. In 1973, U.S.A stopped its combat role the country. The United States paid huge price for the war in terms of both human lives and economic development. It diminished the faith of people in the American government and the war took high toll on exchequer which was felt by the lower sections in its all intensity. However, Vietnam war marked the beginning of great political mobilization of American people who are against their elite’s imperialist adventures. Vietnam War resulted in the greater weakening of the American ruling classes. They lost their psychological grip not only the ordinary people in America but also the freedom-loving people from across the world. The 9/11 On September 11, 2001, a major terrorist attack took place in the USA. Al-Qaeda’s terrorists crashed two hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center, in New York City. This attack really shaken the nation and it was one of the important international moment after the end of Cold War. 9/11’s attack was a turning point in American history as the attack changed defense and foreign policies of the nation. People were psychologically affected after the attack and feeling of insecurity started haunting them. According to Dolfman and Wasser, "the tragic events of 9/11 had a significant impact on the economy and labor market of New York City, and its repercussions were felt throughout the country. The effects of the attack, along with a weakening national and global economy, helped to create an extremely volatile economic environment in the city" (4). The terrorist attack also gave birth to the war on terror wherein the United States has attacked two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, to prevent the menace of terrorism. However, in both this military advances, the United States trapped herself into a quagmire. Works Cited Daum, Andrew. W. et.al. America, the Vietnam War and The World: Comparative And International Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2003. Print. Dolfman, Micael. L. and Wasser, Solidelle. F. “9/11 and The New York City Economy: A Borough-by-Borough Analysis”. Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 127, No. 6, (2004) pp. 3-33. Web. 4 Apr 2011. Medland, William, J. “The Cuban Missile Crisis: Evolving Historical Perspective”. The History Teacher, Vol. 23, No. 4, (1990). pp. 433-447. Web. 4 Apr 2011. #essay-2 American Middle Class After 1945 “We of the sinking middle class may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose.” George Orwell “Upper classes are a nation's past; the middle class is its future.” Ayn Rand Introduction Of course, Orwell and Rand are no writers of a same genre. How could but they be so different seeing the role and relevance of middle class? Orwell see the middle class with seething pessimism and considers them as illusory as they originally belong to working class but perceive to be so. In Rand’s perception of middle class, they have elitist role of leading the nation in the future. Could these both of true? Yes, in the case of American middle class. The American middle class has strived for better to climb the social ladder and in the process have helped the society to stabilize and leap ahead. However, it has become a thing of past as they shrink both in number and in influence. The American Dream and the Middle Class The collapse of post-war consensus has led to the decline of middle class in the United States. Along with de-industrialization and the retreat of welfare state, the great American middle class is also shrinking. However, it is important to remember that the middle class has played a historically important role in inventing the American way of life, especially in the last six decades. The American middle class are the holders of American dream. They not only preached the much talked about American dream but also worked hard to realize it. The American dream is essentially constituted by the immigrants, from the founding immigrants to the present day immigrants. Immigrants became part of the American society as they though America is the land of prosperity and anybody could become middleclass through hard work. But, Jimenez points out “as the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression struck the nation, conservative critics were quick to blame immigrants for declining standards of living” (1). The hared of immigration is much telling. It indicates not only the loss of American dream but also of the middle class. It is the fear of imminent proletarianization which makes American middle class afraid of immigration. In its long history as nation, according to Kalil, “America has always defined itself as middle-class, an essential state of mind connected to national identity. The enduring morality and cultural beliefs associated with this self-identified group are of the utmost importance to those engaged in public service” (139). Not simply that the middle class always played a greater role in the American society, but also that they always perceived themselves at the center of American history. Conclusion It has been argued that what was actually known as the golden age was really the golden age white male middle class American. For the middle class America, education was central to their life, in terms of both making and defining life. In other words, the only politics which engaged the American middle class is the politics of education. Now, as with the decline welfare state, the middle class is fast joining the lower sections of the population in their mere fight for the survival. Works Cited Kalil, Nashua. “One Nation After All: What Middle -Class Americans Really Think About God, Country, Family, Racism, Welfare, Immigration, Homosexuality, Work, The Right, The Left, and Each Other- Book Review”. Berkeley Planning Journal, Vol. 13, (1999): pp. 139-142. Web. 04 Apr 2011. Jimenez, Cristina. “American Dream: How the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act Would Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class”. DRUM major Institute for Public Polciy. pp. 1-7. Web. Web. 04 Apr 2011. Read More