The Cold War: Capitalism vs. Communism the Clashing of Ideology

Throughout American history, the United States has been known to be involved in many wars. From the mid-1940s to early 1990s, the US has been involved in what was called the Cold War. To define what a cold war is, according to the US Military Dictionary, the Cold War is coined as “a state of international tension wherein political, economic, technological, sociological, psychological, paramilitary, and military measures short of overt armed conflict involving regular military forces are employed to achieve national objectives.” This definition is the epitome of what happened because of the drawn out tension that went on between the former Soviet Union and the United States.

The Cold War was a clash of political belief amongst the two countries and resulted after World War II. The United States and the Soviet Union were superpowers that were trying to dominate and become the ultimate superpower in the world. However, the US and the Soviet Union did not directly fight each other, although innovating technology, military build up, and weapons were highly invested upon. Though this period of hostility was amid the United States and the Soviet Union, the Cold War did not affect just these two nations alone, but the entire world.

After World War II, the entirety of Europe was in chaos. However, with Eastern Russia better off economically and military-wise than the rest of Europe, Lenin’s ideology of communism began to spread towards western Europe. On June 5th, 1945, Secretary of State, George Marshall called on the United States to assist countries in Europe through what is now called the Marshall Plan. George Marshall stated to a crowd Harvard University graduates, “do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace.” In turn, the Soviet Union devised its own assisted funding system called the Molotov Plan. Thus, the spreading of communism went even further in countries such as East Germany, Hungary, and countries that lay in Southeast Asia. Though the Soviet Union had these countries support, the United States was bolstered by the western region of Europe. With the European region split in half by ideals, as a result, opposition began to take place between the two superpowers of the world, the United States and the Soviet Union. The population of the United States and the Soviet Union were subject to propaganda, constant fear of being attacked, and conspiracy, the most notable being the United States.

The United States had entered a state known as the "Red Scare". The Red Scare was a period in which the American public had expressed a strong belief in anti-communism. At the time, the Soviet Union, was considered the enemy of the American public. To put this into modern perspective, the people of that time were just as afraid of the communists as we are of the terrorists today. The American public was afraid of a communist invasion in the United States, and the government fueled this fear by releasing propaganda such as "Is This Tomorrow: America under Communism" which stated the dangers that communism posed to Americans. This fear consequently resulting by turning Americans on their own fellow Americans.

"I have here in my hand a list of 205—a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party". These words, spoken by Joseph McCarthy, ushered in the term McCarthyism. McCarthyism took anti-communism to a whole new level. American citizens who were federal employees were subject to President Harry Truman's Executive Order 9835. This set in motion rigorous questioning to determine whether or not they were communist, if one were to be convicted of being disloyal to the United States or even feel a tiny bit sympathetic towards communists, the employee was to be fired. Upon going into office in 1953 President Dwight Eisenhower not only extended the program but he strengthened it, he made it difficult for anyone to get repealed. Accusation did not only mean an employee lost their job, but it meant unemployment for possibly the rest of ones life. America’s intolerance of communism affected other countries as well though its foreign policies.

Many foreign policies that were created by the two nations aided in the rise of tenacious conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization being an example. Otherwise known as NATO, it was a treaty signed by the western countries of Europe and North America that agreed to mutually defend one another if one was attacked by an outer party. Counteracting this treaty, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact to facilitate the countries that the Soviet Union gained after World War II. Also, the Warsaw pact enabled the Soviets to use their military force if any efforts were made to gain sovereignty from the Soviet Union. All through the period of the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the US never fought each other directly though there were periods when conflict had risen enough to become a “hot“ war. There were two instances in which the United States did go to battle to fight against communism. In these two cases in point, the US fought the Soviets indirectly. Those two occurrences were the main battles fought in Korea and Vietnam.

The Domino Theory was a theoretical foreign policy. The basic idea behind the Domino Theory was that if one country were to fall under the "tyranny" of communism the surrounding countries would fall into communism too, hence acting just as dominoes a domino effect with one falling right after another. The United States government was in profound support of the theory. President Dwight Eisenhower himself said "Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the "falling domino" principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences". The proof that the Domino Theory was logical was the rise of communism in Asian country's, this can be disproved by the fact that countries, such as Indonesia, did not become communist even after the United states withdrew from the region. The Domino Theory led to the United States involvement in Asian conflicts.

During the 1950s Korea was split in two, such as Europe, in terms of government and beliefs. The north was communist whereas the south was not. Naturally, the northern part of Korea would want to whole country become communist so they attempted to spread communism through invasion. The US greatly feared communism and did not want the southern part of Korea to become communist as well. As a result, the US financed and supported South Korea and in conclusion the north did not succeed. As of current, North Korea is still a communistic nation. This was known as the Korean War or the Forgotten War since it did not gain as much attention as World War II which was previous and the Vietnam War which occurred later on in 1959.

As with the Korean War, the Vietnam War was very similar. However, the Vietnam War lasted much longer, with the period of warfare lasting about 15 years. This war was brought upon by the north, once again a communistic region versus the south which was, once more, supported by the United States. Except this time, the support from the US was through vast amounts of battleground troops which resulted in a significant loss. The Vietnam War began to fall once the US pulled out under conditions posed out by the Paris Peace Accord. Unlike the Korean War, North Vietnam did succeed and the entirety of Vietnam is communist still today. Shortly after, another conflict arose when the Soviet Union gained hold of nuclear weapons.

All throughout the apprehension between the two nations, they both had stocked up on a large accumulation of nuclear weapons. With the two superpowers that were clearly in opposition with each other, mutually assured destruction, or MAD became the summarization of what would happen if the two were to bomb one another - or in even simpler terms, nuclear annihilation. In case this were to happen, President Ronald Reagan devised a plan to somehow destroy these nuclear missiles from space. This proposal was called the Strategic Defense Initiative. This defense system would be operated from ground and would have used space-based systems to shelter the United States from attack by strategic nuclear missiles. Soon enough, the Soviets started to fund their military, which left the Soviet population in a fiscal crisis. Therefore, the countries within the Soviet Union began to rebel, however laws that forbade possessions of weapons allowed the Soviet military to slaughter those rebelling, which is what happened in the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Many countries thereafter began to revolt and these revolts in result brought forwards new lawful rights. Some of these led to countries gaining their own independence. For example, in the early 1990s, eastern Berlin became united with the western Berlin. In conclusion, Mikhail Gorbachev and President George Bush finally ended this long period of tension in the year 1991, with the wall symbolizing communism was finally brought down.

Hypothetically speaking, if these outcomes did not occur, I believe that the following situation would take place: In 1974 The Soviet Union came to the realization that it would not be able to compete with the United States in all aspects. The Soviet economy crippled and its population were stricken with poverty. Out of desperation, the Soviet Union invaded Turkey, Yugoslavia, Austria, and west Germany. As a result, Yugoslavia and Switzerland surrendered out of fear for its population. West Germany and Turkey which were under NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) put up a resistance that was quickly lost within one day of battle, this was due to the unimaginable number of troops the Soviets possessed. The Soviets, with the assistance of China and its vast population, were able to take over Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, the United States was unable to go into battle due to its recent involvement in Vietnam. The following week, the Soviet Union attacked the United States from the west coast, Canada had no choice but to get involved. This warfare conflict lasted 3 years until finally the United States surrendered on June 20, 1991.

Language Gene

There is a theory that there may be something in human genes that influence how facile we can easily learn a specific language. With further statistical analysis and research they were able to find that people who speak non-tonal languages were more likely to have two evolved forms of brain development genes that differentiate between those who spoke tonal languages.

Cat's Cradle

Title: Cat's Cradle

Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Company: Dell Publishing

Reason, Type and Setting: As a part of our documentary project that we were assigned, our group was to read a book relating to our corresponding war. My group was assigned the Cold War. Kurt Vonnegut is known for his satirical writing and I've read a couple books of his before so Cat's Cradle really caught my eye when I saw it on the list of books to read on Elika's blog. The main happenings occur on fantasized island of San Lorenzo which is located in the Caribbean.

Plot: It's rather funny that I didn't notice that the main character was never referred to by name, or I just can't find it. Well, anyway, the book is written in first person as most of Kurt Vonnegut's books are. The book basically is somewhat an allegory you can say of the paranoia that the American's had about the Cold War, the destructive power of an atom bomb, as well as newfound ideology. It all starts when the main character is interested about the "father" of the atom bomb Dr. Franklin Hoenikker and his family, the main character later finds out that Dr. Hoenikker made the most destructive thing in the planet, Ice-9 which would cause everything to freeze. One could see the parallels between the atom bomb and this new substance ice-9. Vonnegut also touches up on religious topics, with an outlawed religion called Bokononism in the island of San Lorenzo. The plot is a bit hard to explain but this novel really makes you think as to how the Cold War relates to this book.

Character: Since the main character is a bit hard to describe, I will describe Frank Hoenikker, the son of the late Dr. Franklin Hoenikker. If I were to describe Frank I'd say that he a little bit mysterious. When he was younger many people would tease and call him Secret Agent X-9. He was very reserved and spent his days living in the basement of a colleague of his. There he built miniature replicas of cities. Later on, he somehow managed to go to the island of San Lorenzo and was appointed General because he contained a portion of ice-9 which was split up between him and his two other siblings. Further into the story, Frank is told that he is to become president since the current one was ill and Frank felt that he could not communicate well to the public and asks the main character to accept the position. In this way, Frank is just like his father.

Evaluation: I'd say that Kurt Vonnegut's books are sometimes a bit complicating to read and it was somewhat easier to find the correlation of the Cold War to this book than his other novels. I plan to read another book written by him for my Honors Outside Reading. Personally, I really like his writing style but I do not think many would find it very entertaining and may end up getting confused. If you are the type of person that enjoys satirical books such as Candide by Voltaire you'll enjoy Kurt Vonnegut's novels.

Author, Context and Trivia: Kurt Vonnegut was born on what he likes to refer as Armistice Day which is what Veteran's Day was originally called in the year of 1922 and has recently passed away on April 11th, 2007. He was known for his graphic arts in his novels as well as his writing science fiction and satire. He has written a number of books and short stories.

Vocabulary #6

Though we wish we could obviate a situation through the use of time machines, it just isn't possible.


In the Japanese Drama Hana Kimi, when Sano gets to know Mizuki he is inspired to continue high jumping with much more tenacity.

Personally, I feel this is a large amount of candy but in Candace's mind this amount is just a paucity of candy because she has seen the interior of M&Ms world in Las Vegas.

Cassette tapes have become obsolete because cars no longer instal cassete tape players into their sound system.

The people of the Philippines staged a People Power 2 in the mid-1990s because they found President Joseph Estrada embezzled large amounts of money from the government funds.

Definitions
Embezzle - To take (money, for example) for one's own use in violation of a trust
Emaciate - to make abnormally lean or thin by a gradual wasting away of flesh.
Obsolete - no longer in general use
Obviate - prevent the occurrence of
Penchant - A definite liking; a strong inclination
Paucity - smallness of quantity
Sycophant - a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
Taut - tightly drawn
Tenuous - lacking in clarity
Tenacity - persistent determination

Vocabulary #5

[e/c please!]
My cousins , as well as my best friends, act as a bolster when I am in need of support or uplifting.


Despite their known dispute among their friends, their hug showed them to be conciliatory.


These teenagers are participating in an unhealthy, let alone complicit habit.

Lack of fidelity could be one of the factors for marriages ending up in divorce.


The Argentinians in this picture are in a state of insurrection towards the current US politics and the high unemployment rate in Argentina

Definitions:
1. lucidity - easily understood; completely intelligible or comprehensible
2. conciliatory - To make or attempt to make compatible; reconcile
3. countermand - to revoke or cancel
4. acumen - Quickness, accuracy
5. insurrection - an act or instance of rising in revolt
6. fidelity - loyalty
7. complicit - choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, esp. with others
8. steadfast - firm in purpose, resolution, faith
9. emancipation - freeing someone from the control of another
10. bolster - support and strengthen

Human Cells Could Replace Animals in Toxic Testing

This article states that scientists will try to develop and research a way to test new drugs on cultured human cells which could drastically reduce live animal testing. Other than that, this new found process could cut costs, and improve testing accuracy. As of now, US National Institute of Health and the US Environmental Protection Agency have reached an agreement to fund and develop a new way to test toxic chemicals on human cells rather than animals.

Black History Month

HISTORY IS A WEAPON

Slavery Without
Submission,
Emancipation
Without Freedom

by Howard Zinn

Questions for Socratic Seminar:
1. In Lincoln's speeches, it is as if he is molding his words to fit what people want to hear. What do you think Lincoln's true stance was on slavery?

2. Do you see the passing of of the Emancipation Proclamation as an excuse to open the Union Army to blacks?

3. Though some may say that the abolition of slavery wasn't the Civil War's main purpose, do you agree/disagree that freedom for African-American's couldn't have existed without the Civil War?

4. Do you agree with DuBois theory that American capitalism has allowed both whites & blacks in some sense, become slaves?

Definitions:
Abolitionists - a person who favors the abolition of any law or practice deemed harmful to society

Absconding - to leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest or prosecution.

Disintegration - separation into component parts

Pusillanimity - the state or condition of being pusillanimous; timidity; cowardliness.
Segregate - to separate or set apart from others or from the main body or group

Evidence Expert:

Page 171; Par. 2
Page 175; Par. 4; Last sentence
Page 186; Par. 3
Page 191; Last Par.
Page 210; Last Par.

Invention: Heartbeat Radar

According to this article, Doppler radar can be used to monitor breathing patterns and heart beats. Just as road-speed radar systems, it is possible by way of bouncing a radio wave off of teh chest and measuring any change in frequency caused by chest movement. This new technique can be very beneficial since it allows for a patient to be monitored from a distance without placing ECG leads. It is also technological enough to record the heart rate through a person's clothing. However, the con is that it can be easily masked by noise caused by small movements of a patient or other surroundings with a busy hospital being an example.
I agree with the fact this is beneficial and it allows convenience for both the patient and the consultant. Perhaps, this invention can lead to a more permanent and long-rage source of heart monitoring for patients so that if their heart rate drops some sort of alarm could go off and people could be notified.

Eat, Pray, Love

Title: Eat Pray Love

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Company: Penguin Books, New York

Reason, Type and Setting: With my Japan trip coming very soon, I thought I'd read a nonfictional piece on traveling and this was the perfect one. Well, actually, I happened to see this book in Elika's stack of books and I thought I might as well read it. Being an avid traveler, I could relate a lot to the character and this is probably my favorite book that I've read among the books reported on here. As said before, this is a nonfictional novel and is set in New York, Italy, Indonesia, and India.

Plot: This whole story of Eat, Pray, Love starts with a woman who has an emotional breakdown after going through a nasty divorce with her husband of 8 years and with yet another relationship failing with a man named David that she just cannot forget. After a spiritual epiphany in the bathroom, she decides to travel and immerse herself in pleasure, devotion, and balance. All of these three are found respectively in Italy, India, and Indonesia where she resides for about four months each. Thus, a total of a whole year spent on traveling. In Italy, Liz finds pleasure in the foods, culture, and the language most of all. Her main goal is to learn Italian and meets interesting people and friends. There, she binges on happiness after going through a long period of depression. After her four month period of euphoria, she decides to cleanse the previous stress with longing to forget David by visiting an Ashram in India where she practices meditation and spiritual healing. In Indonesia, she visits an old man named Ketut, who is a healer. This wasn't her first time in Indonesia, and the last time Ketut predicted that she would come to Indonesia and stay with him for four months. Overall, this story is of a woman's adventure and experience of trying to regain happiness.


Character: Being that this book is a nonfictional novel based on Liz Gilbert's travel, it makes sense to focus on her. Liz Gilbert is a middle-aged woman of about 34 years old, whose physical features include being slim, fair, and blonde. As for her character, she is a strong and decisive woman who worries and thinks about the past too much. She is an adventurous woman who keeps an open mind. She is also approachable and has a friendly and outgoing personality.


Evaluation: Among all of the books I've read within the book reports found on here, I'd have to say this is a favorite among those that I have read. You can get a good insight as to Liz Gilbert's personality and adventure to these various places and how these trips affect her as a person. I think when I am able to travel more in the future I'd like to document them in sort of the same style as hers and eventually see how I have progressed as a person through these trips. I guess you could say this book has made me feeling inspired.

Author, Context and Trivia: Elizabeth Gilbert was born in 1969 to a family that lived on a Christmas Tree farm. The year 1993 debuted her literary career when her short stories became published in the magazine Esquire. She has written four books and numerous short stories.

Vocabulary #3

What looks as if it used to be a lovely private beach, was now disseminated with trash everywhere.



[ e/c please!]
The cathedral that my family visited in Italy was renovated so that the building will stay in tact for more years to come and the many more tourists can visit.


[e/c please!]
Anna smiled with a sanguine expression on her face after her friend told her to make a wish after blowing the dandelion.




William Shakespeare wrote with such eloquence, that his works are still being admired and read today and is known as one of the greatest poet and playwright in history.




Though many people who receive medication such as Prozac, an anti-depressants, there is a risk that they can relapse back into there depressed state and can inflict a greater harm to themselves.




Definitions:

1. Disseminate (v) - To scatter widely
2. Eloquence (n) - the power of expressing feelings or thoughts in words that impress or move other people
3. Austere (adj) - grave; sober; solemn; serious
4. Baleful (adj) - pernicious/ or sinister
5. Bigot (n) - a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.
6. Relapse (n) - falling back into a former state
   (v) - to fall back into vice
7. Repudiate (v) - to cast off or disown
8. Resilience (n) - ability to recover readily from illness, depression
9. Sanguine (adj) - cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident
10. Renovate (v) - to restore to good condition