Eisenhower's Speech On The Military Industrial Complex

President Eisenhower speech asked for the American people to be vigilant against the influence of the military-industrial complex. He saw the potential existence of misplaced power with the military establishment that could threaten our liberties and democratic process. He warned of the growing dependence of the weapons industry that began with Worlds War 2 and continued into the Cold War. Eisenhower’s speech during the time, created a lot of opposition against him. Having previously served the military, his speech serve to highlight the threat from the people protecting us. Citizens thought he was going against the people that helped them win the war, which is negative for a country built on patriotism. Despite warning the American people, the message would go
unheard. The military establishment would go on to fuel wars in the Middle East. Currently, war has been seen as an option to alleviate economic disasters. With the crash of the American economy in 2002, came the war with Iraq the following year. The people who ultimately benefit from war are the military-industrial complex, whose main objective is to accumulate cash flow. I believe that the American people listened in some degree.
They marched against the Vietnam War, and knew that it was unnecessary. They wanted t fight a communist country, and what remains is a communist country to this day. Nothing was gained from the war, despite the rise of the military-industrial complex; they benefited more than anyone from the war. Presently, I think the American people allowed Eisenhower’s final speech to enter one ear and escape another. Looking at Chicago, St. Louis, and other violent cities in America you notice that guns are contributing to their high death tolls. When we ask ourselves why, Eisenhower’s message about the military-industrial complex echoes to highlight that it could be potentially from the powerful defense industry. If you have a powerful industry that benefits from violence, you’re susceptible to the greed associated with money. America is a nation built on war. While Canadians sought independence from the brits, Americans fought for theirs. Violence has always existed, and so has the military establishment. The event on 9/11 parallels the threat President Eisenhower spoke about. People wanted to give up their rights to the military establishment to be
protected. With the introduction of the Patriot Act it gave way for the military establishment to grow in size giving rise to the term police state. During the Baltimore riot, we witness severed relationship between the American people and their enforcers. Guard troops were called onto the scene, raising questions how they were to settle a domestic dispute. Humvees and rifles filled Baltimore streets to combat civil unrest. The military equipment being used against the American people in order to evoke compliance reflects the message President Eisenhower spoke about. Cases like Boston bombing where the government enlisted martial law to look for the suspect establish a spotlight onto the military-industrial complex. We exists in a day, where it’s okay for American people to observe military helicopters to flooding their skies, and Humvees to roam the streets.