Cold War Influence On America

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as two of the strongest powers in the world. Each had a strong influence on the rest of the world, and as a result of this, they faced half a century of conflict. While America held strong to its democracy, the USSR was convinced that communism was superior, and before long, the Cold War began. During the Cold War, the struggle between American Democracy and Soviet Communism brought about a newfound pride in the American way of life, but it also introduced a state of constant fear and preparation in the event of a foreign threat. Due to the presence of communism throughout the world, especially in the Soviet Union, Americans saw it as a matter of importance to emphasize the
It had become common knowledge that the Soviet Union was in possession of an atomic bomb. It was also known that this world power wanted its influence to cover as many nations as possible. In response to this, the American government began the process of ingraining the words “duck and cover,” into the minds of all of its citizens (Duck-and-Cover). Men, women, and children were becoming trained to properly shield themselves from harm at the drop of a hat. Along with this, the American people were taught that they were targets and that they must be prepared at any moment, even if that meant evacuation (Target You). In the event of an attack, special routes had been designed, and citizens were expected to know how to travel away from the danger. Eventually though, all of the speeches and commercials concerning the issue of the bomb had made the threat such a normal thing, that it had become and everyday part of life. People had altered their homes to ensure the safety of their families, schools often performed drills to prepare students, and even the incredibly ordinary aspects of life, such as music, were embracing the danger. Bill Haley, a musical artist of the time, made mention of the “H bomb” in his song, Thirteen Women, which added a comical twist on the usually serious topic by describing the only man left being surrounded by women (Haley, Thirteen Women). At this point, life had gotten to a point where it no longer revolved around the possibility of an attack, but it was instead merely incorporated into everyone’s daily routine. Whether at home, work, school, or simply walking around town, everyone had an idea of what to do. The threat was still blatantly there, but it was not as intensified as it had once