The Cold War Era Essay example - 1046 Words

The Cold War Era Works Cited Missing The late 1940s to the mid 1980s the American society saw what could quite possibly be titled the biggest technological effect on society. This era, The Cold War, was a period in which fear of attack or invasion and a need to be superior reigned in the American society. It led to the development of space technology, during the Space Race, communication systems, and military technology in what has been appropriately deemed the Arms Race. On October 4, 1957 [1] a huge change concerning technology in society occurred. On this date, the United Soviet Socialists Republic (USSR) launched Sputnik into outer space. The launch of Sputnik instilled a fear in the American society and an urgent call†¦show more content†¦NASA was not engineering in a new field; the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and other government organizations had been working on the idea of space flight. These organizations were subsequently pulled into NASA upon its creation. [3] The main focus became developing technology that was steady enough and strong enough to support human life in space. The act of simply launching a rocket into space had been achieved over ten years before when Nazi Germany launched its first successful V-2 rocket in October 1942. The V-2 (Vengeance Weapon 2) rocket was built to shoot warheads at targets from a long range. [4] With the disastrous ability of the V-2 in mind, when Sputnik was launched, the fear of ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) became a very prevalent part of American society. Families built bomb shelters in their backyards and stocked them with non-perishable goods to help them sustain life if they were ever attacked. Students and employees practiced air raid drills by crawling under desks and tables. An imminent fear of attack hung heavily in the air causing such historical events as the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The entire era of the Cold War was spurred by a fear of the technology that the opposing country (either Russia or America) possessed; thus, the obvious effect of technology on the society of the times. The Cold War Era was not an era that revolved entirely around fearShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War Era1871 Words   |  8 Pagesend of World War II, Europe was in ruins. Between bomb damage, economic downturn, and natural disasters such as droughts and blizzards it seemed nearly impossible to restore Europe to its prior greatness. America facilitated the recovery of Europe with military and financial aid and helped prevent the spread of communism, which is proven to overtake even the strongest countries in times of distress. This aid crushed the Soviet dream of a communist Europe, which set off the Cold War. Over the nextRead MoreThe Era Of The Cold War Essay2000 Words   |  8 Pages The era of the Cold War was a tumultuous time where conflicts arose in many aspects of American culture and international wars waged to prevent the spread of Soviet influence over other nations. U.S. foreign policy would see much intervention, where nations were used to engage in proxy wars. The United States’ domestic politics would see much panic among congress and many senators, where the looming fears of Soviet influence and communist spies altered how politicians and lawmakers conductedRead MoreThe Cold War And The War Era1687 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War era was an infamous time in United States history. The stand-off between the USSR and the US lasted nearly forty-five years, and began shortly after World War II had ended. 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For those caught in the middle of the â€Å"war on terror† in the Middle East, or unprecedented violence in Africa, the need to build relationships with the spectator in order to motivate donations is ever present. The relationship between the spectator and the suffering has significantly changed in the past few decades and NGOs and individuals seeking to motivateRead MoreThe Cold War Era Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesSince World War II ended, the United States has been involved in several other conflicts, all o f which were much further from total war than was the Second World War. Many of these were â€Å"small wars.† During the Cold War, the military’s goal was preparedness to fight two simultaneous major contingency operations. Once the Soviet Union disintegrated, and the United States emerged as the lone superpower, there appeared to be a period of peace on the horizon. The peace dividend never fully materializedRead MoreCold War Era Movie Assignment1538 Words   |  7 PagesCold War Era Movie Assignment The movie/TV clips that we watched in class were all made between the years 1954 and 1964. World War II and The Cold War between The Soviet Union and the United States became the subject of many TV shows and movies of the time period. The paranoia and fear of communism and nuclear war was very real in the 1950’s/1960’s and it shaped the cultures of both the United States and the Soviet Union. You will be asked questions not only about the clips you will view but how