American Propaganda

The American Media

The Cold War, from the American perspective, was fueled by such ideals as "a belief in individual freedom, unfettered capitalism, the sanctity of the home, and a suspicion of outsiders" (May 940). And the American media during the Cold War had one primary directive: creating "a wide, prevailing culture of 'anxiety' or 'paranoia'" (Kwon 139). This was all in hopes of creating enough fear amongst the American population to drive moral support towards the actions by military and political leaders. The media did so by publicizing numerous forms of propaganda that "project the fears of a system by dramatising and exaggerating the dangers that seem to lurk around every corner" (McLaughlin 7), describing the enemy of the U.S. at the time, the Soviet Union. 

For example, the media would often populate news broadcastings and newspapers with societal calls to action, urging citizens to fortify their homes in preparation for an incoming Soviet invasion. There was even a Los Angeles Times article that displayed a map of potential bombing locations in LA, by the Soviet Union, on the front page (May 940). Or, the media would use metaphoric images of contrasting sides of opposition to describe the two perspectives of the war: "Uncle Sam versus Ivan the Terrible", "the Eagle versus the Bear", "the Promised Land versus the Evil Empire" (McLaughlin 7). Again, this was all in hopes of driving up social fears among the national community to justify the military actions taken.

American Socioeconomics

The war also took a toll on American socioeconomics, leaving a longlasting effect that still plague the nation today. Efforts were so heavily poured into "narrow and overdeveloped aerospace, communications, electronic capabilities, swollen ranks of scientists and engineers engaged in wasteful military-related operations, and a phalanx of large specialized firms and facilities not easily transformed into commercially viable operations" (Markusen 389), that it left the country in an unforseeably huge debt. In fact, "over half of the current U.S. debt was incurred in the 1980's" (Markusen 391). 

American Propaganda