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The Cold War Was A Different Type Of War That The World

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The Cold War was a different type of war that the world has never seen before. Instead of deploying troops, there was the threat of the deployment of nuclear bombs. This development in technology was an invisible threat which had the potential to wipe out an entire population in mere moments. If the U.S. was unable to harness the power of nuclear weapons first, then they feared that they would be annihilated and life as they knew it would forever change. The United States saw this nuclear arms race as a ticking time bomb. If it were to explode, then not only would the U.S. be wiped off from the face of the Earth, but liberty and freedom would vanish along with it. This fear would sweep across the nation to the point that the word …show more content…

“The security of the United States of America was saved by sea of distances, the Allies, and by errors of a prepared enemy.” (Marshall, 211) If we were to rely on others as we did before, it could prove to be a devastating mistake. We must be self reliant and independent, like during the Second World War. It was through aggressive and proactive acts that the U.S. had claimed victory over Japan. “The existence of the complex and fearful instruments of destruction now available make this a simple truth which is, in my opinion, undebatable.” (Marshall, 210) Because of the development of the atomic bomb, it would be a catastrophically poor decision to dismantle our greatest weapon and leave ourselves vulnerable. Instead, it should be used as a tool to ensure global peace. A similar claim would be made by President Harry S. Truman.
In NSC-68: U.S. objectives and Programs for National Security, 1950, President Truman believes that in order for there to be peace, the United States must maintain its military strength. By doing so, some rights must be given up by the people for the sake of national security. “With the development of increasingly terrifying weapons of mass destruction, every individual faces the ever-present possibility of annihilation should the conflict enter the phase of total war.” (Truman, 218) Military might cannot be built by the U.S. alone. The burden must be shared among the other free countries for a defeat of free institution anywhere is a

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