The Role of the Cold War

THE ROLE OF THE COLD WAR
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The Cold War began slightly after the Second World War and it pitted the U.S. against the Soviet Union and the allies of the two respectively. In essence, it was a tussle of two superpowers intending to curtail the influence and dominance of each other. The war did not, by and large, necessarily employ the direct use of weaponry. On the contrary, it was fought on the political and economic fronts and one fundamental element of the war was the extensive and relentless use of propaganda by both sides. The period was also characterized by mounting tensions as the rivals flexed their military might. Although it ended in 1991, the Cold War played an anomalous role in the American recent past, as can be seen in political, economic, and social fronts.
The Cold War has had a significant bearing on the American political landscape. For instance, when Southern leaders, in the 1960s, used excessive force against peaceful protesters, the Soviet government seized the moment to discredit the U.S. government using propaganda, with a key focus on the racial issue. In the same vein, the Soviet Union funded civil rights activities in the U.S. to portray the government as one that did not espouse freedom and equality. This, inevitably, created mounting pressures in the political scene characterized by accusations and counter-accusations. During this period, the U.S. was involved in proxy wars such as the Vietnamese war, whereby citizens were forcibly conscripted into the army. This was met with massive opposition and condemnation. It was during this time that high-profile assassinations, including that of Martin Luther King Jr., were perpetrated. As a consequence, the public’s faith in the American government dwindled at an alarming rate. This forced the different regimes of that period to concentrate considerably on redeeming the government’s image and trustworthiness. In essence, politically, the U.S. gravitated away from the norm during the Cold War.[John David Skrentny. "The effect of the Cold War on African-American civil rights: America and the world audience, 1945-1968." Theory and Society 27, no. 2 (1998): 245.]
The Cold War had far-reaching implications on the U.S. economy in several dimensions. During this period, the country was led by presidents with contrasting economic perceptions and convictions. While President Lyndon Johnson spearheaded the great social reforms which enhanced social spending, President Reagan cut social spending and increased military spending (Hayes 1983, 1). This was due to the country’s increasing involvement in foreign military undertakings. These wars translated into increased military spending which consequently led to an inflated national debt. However, the economy grew because the country was able to secure trade affiliations with such economic powerhouses as China. Such trade relations weakened the Soviet Union considerably. The U.S., too, has used economic sanctions to coerce other...