His 105 American History After 1865 Week 91 Before Submissio
His 105 American History After 1865 Week 91before Submission And Be
HIS 105: AMERICAN HISTORY AFTER 1865 WEEK . BEFORE SUBMISSION--AND BEFORE REALLY STARTING ON THE DOING OF THIS PAPER, please make use of the following links (if trouble with any link, try this--right click and "open in new window"; sometimes an item will flash to the top or bottom of your screen or go to a downloads folder): 1. I NSTRUCTION SHEET for Assignment 3--with key details: HIS105_Assignment 3_Instructions_Dr_Stansbury.docx 2. WRITING GUIDE for Assignment 3 : HIS105_Writing_Guide_Assmt3.docx (tip--print this out; keep handy) 3. Outline/Template for Assignment 3 : Template_Outline_assmt3.docx 4. SOURCES AND TIPS for Assignment 3: Sources and Tips for Assignment 3_HIS105.docx 5. HOW TO SUBMIT THE ASSIGNMENT 3: HIS105_How_to_submit_Assmt3.docx 6. VIDEO HELP on doing Assignment 3 (if needed, right-click and open in new window): America as Superpower--Confrontation in a Nuclear Age (1947-Present)
Assignment 3: America as Superpower-Confrontation in a Nuclear Age (1947-Present) Due Week 9 and worth 120 points. Write about America's role as an international superpower from the post-World War II era to the present, focusing on one strategic concern and one confrontation from each period — Cold War (1947-1991) and Post-Cold War (1991-present). Use at least three sources from provided lists, including the Schultz textbook and at least two additional credible sources. Format the paper following Strayer Writing Standards (SWS): typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman or similar font (size 10-12), one-inch margins. The paper should be 500-800 words, divided into five paragraphs. Include a cover page and a sources page.
Choose one Cold War strategic concern—containment, Domino Theory, or MAD Doctrine—and one Cold War confrontation—Berlin Airlift, Korean War, Vietnam War, or Cuban Missile Crisis. Similarly, pick one Post-Cold War strategic concern—Terrorism, Rogue States, or WMD—and one confrontation—First Persian Gulf War, Invasion of Afghanistan, Invasion of Iraq, or Libya bombing. Review relevant sources to support your analysis.
The paper should analyze how these examples reflect U.S. foreign policy goals and strategies during these periods, comparing the nature of confrontations, the perceived threats, and the role of U.S. leadership in shaping international relations post-1945.
Paper For Above instruction
The evolution of the United States as a global superpower since 1945 has been shaped by a series of strategic concerns and confrontations that reflect its shifting foreign policy priorities. During the Cold War, America's primary strategic concern was containment of communism, embodied by efforts to prevent the spread of Soviet influence globally. A salient confrontation illustrating this was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, where strategic diplomacy and military readiness were employed to prevent nuclear escalation, exemplifying MAD doctrine's emphasis on mutually assured destruction as a deterrent (Chace, 2015). In contrast, the Post-Cold War era has been dominated by concerns over terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, culminating in interventions such as the Gulf War of 1991 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. These instances reveal a shift from conventional state-to-state conflicts to asymmetric warfare against non-state actors and rogue states, with the U.S. asserting its military and diplomatic influence to preserve global stability (Caplan, 2019).
The Cold War strategic concern of containment was driven by the Soviet Union's expansionist policies, which prompted U.S. initiatives such as the Marshall Plan, NATO, and various covert operations aimed at curbing communist influence in Europe, Asia, and Latin America (Hickman, 2019). The Korean War (1950-1953) exemplifies a direct militarized effort to uphold containment, with the United States leading a UN coalition to resist North Korean aggression supported by China and the Soviet Union. These confrontations often involved nuclear deterrence strategies like MAD, ensuring that the threat of total annihilation prevented large-scale conflict (Wilde, 2019). Conversely, in the Post-Cold War period, strategic concerns shifted toward managing threats from rogue states and WMD proliferation, exemplified by the 1991 Gulf War, where U.S.-led coalition forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, demonstrating a willingness to deploy overwhelming force to uphold international order (Bush, 1991).
One significant distinction between the periods is the transition from ideological confrontation to interventions motivated by security concerns in a complex international environment. The Cuban Missile Crisis highlighted the dangerous brinksmanship of Cold War diplomacy, where leadership was tested amidst potential nuclear catastrophe (Chace, 2015). Today, strategies involve not only military force but also diplomacy, intelligence, and economic measures, reflecting a multifaceted approach to global security challenges (Dulles, 1954). Moreover, the concept of deterrence has evolved to encompass non-traditional threats, such as terrorism, requiring innovations in counterterrorism policies and international cooperation (Schultz, 2010). This evolution underscores the importance of adaptable strategies in maintaining U.S. leadership and protecting national security amidst an unpredictable international landscape.
In conclusion, the United States' role as a superpower has been continually shaped by its responses to distinct strategic concerns and confrontations. The Cold War era's emphasis on nuclear deterrence and containment contrasts with the Post-Cold War focus on combating terrorism and WMD proliferation, demonstrating a diversification of national security priorities. Analyzing these developments reveals that American foreign policy has adapted to address new threats through a combination of military, diplomatic, and economic strategies. The lessons learned from these periods underscore the necessity for flexible and innovative approaches to sustain U.S. influence and security in an increasingly complex world.
References
- Bush, G. H. W. (1991). Address before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Cessation of the Persian Gulf Conflict.
- Caplan, B. (2019). The Domino Theory Reconsidered.
- Chace, S. (2015). The Cuban Missile Crisis: Leadership as Disturbance, Informed by History. Summer.
- Dulles, J. F. (1954). Secretary Dulles' Strategy of Massive Retaliation.
- Hickman, M. (2019). History of Containment Policy.
- Schultz, G. (2010). Address on U.S. Foreign Policy Strategies. Pages 462–468, 485–488.
- Wilde, R. (2019). What is Mutually Assured Destruction? Thoughtco.