The Cuban Missile Crisis

The United States’ conflicts with Russia have been an ongoing struggle since the end of World War II. The two counties fought other countries to keep communism from spreading or not in the Vietnam and Koran wars, and raced to be the first country to land on the moon. This time period is known as the cold war because the two countries never exchanged a single shot directly. However, the cold war almost turned hot when Russia threatened the United States with nuclear missiles positioned in Cuba in an event now known as the Cuban missile crisis.

The crisis began in 1962 when an American spy plane took pictures of a Cuban airfield that appeared to have launch pads and missiles. When the pictures were sent to Washington the government immediately sent battle ships too block incoming Russian ships from delivering more deadly weapons. When Russia retaliated by saying that America was using unnecessary force, the government’s spy plane pictures were then used as evidence to justify the United States actions.

This event was kept secret from the public for a while as the government searched for solutions to avoid a possible attack, but was eventually released to the public in order to warn and prepare the US citizens. At this point, the United States had already been preparing for this situation by building underground bunkers and issuing bomb drills in schools, but now the threat was real and people began panicking.

This crisis lasted for 13 days until John F. Kennedy, the president at the time, negotiated with Russia to remove the missiles from Cuba as long as the United States removed their missiles from Pakistan. This decision saved millions of lives in both Russia and the United States.

Since then, the threat of nuclear war has been low until the conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia tried to reclaim land lost in the cold war. The United States has tried to stay out of the conflict because Russia has threatened to bomb the US if we interfere. Although we are not directly threatened, the US citizens fear getting bombed anyway because of our support for Ukraine.

Thompson, Joseph T. “THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS IN CONTEXT.” RIVIER ACADEMIC JOURNAL 6.1 (2010): 12. B.A. Program in Independent Studies, Rivier College. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.rivier.edu/journal/ROAJ-Spring-2010/J389-Thompson.pdf&gt;.

~Cassidy

 

Our Competition With Russia

For half of the twentieth century, the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in conflict.  While there wasn’t any actual combat between the two nations, they competed in just about every way imaginable.  Through pseudo-wars, economic battles, and a general mindset that one nation is superior, the U.S. and the Soviets attempted to outdo each other in every aspect of life.

One aspect I will focus on in this post is the space race.  I read an article written by Matthew Godwin, of the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University College London, that spoke about the space race and possible motivators for the two countries to push into space at such a rapid pace.  Not much had been done before world war two to advance into the final frontier.  All of that changed when the U.S. and the Soviet Union were put in the spotlight to see who would become the next dominant world power.  The Soviets launched Sputnik in 1958, which was the catalyst for the race.  The Soviets would continue to outdo the Americans in space technology until 1969, when Americans put the first man on the moon.

This part of the cold war is more than just a series of technological advancements.  The space race almost perfectly symbolizes the conflict between the U.S. and the Soviets.  The drive to become better than another nation is played out through the exploration of space between 1958 and 1969.  The launch of the Sputnik was a hard hit to the Americans.  It was a statement that the Soviets were more intelligent and certainly more powerful with the new ability to control the space outside of our atmosphere.  When this is coupled with the fact that each country had a large number of nuclear weapons poised to be launched at the other side at any given moment, it’s easy to see why this was such an important race.  That being said, the space race showed us exactly how important the drive to be the better country was.

The war in the Ukraine is one of the first major conflicts after the end of the cold war that tests both the U.S. and Russia.  Russia is attempting to reclaim territory that they had when they were the mighty Soviet Union, and the U.S. must figure out how to handle the situation without starting an all out war.  While the U.S. came out on top at the end of the cold war with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is still a world power that has the ability to make a major statement.  That statement is that they will prove just how powerful they are.

The space race was the epitome of the cold war and all it meant.  Because Russia didn’t come out on top, they certainly have something to prove, and the situation in the Ukraine is the perfect way to prove it.  If America intervenes at all, Russia is prepared to start an all out war that the U.S. really can’t afford to be in.  The U.S. is doing the right thing by not getting involved, but at what cost?  Russia is practically invading and conquering an innocent nation for the betterment of itself, and to show its power to the rest of the world.  The last time that happened, we ended up with world war two.  When should the U.S. say “enough is enough”?  Will Russia continue to prove its power with the taking over of other nations?  Only time will tell.

Godwin, Matthew. “The Cold War and the Early Space Race.” Www.history.ac.uk. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. <http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/cold/articles/godwin.html&gt;.

 

Geopolitics Surrounding the War in the Ukraine

The war in the Ukraine is much more than just a physical conflict.  This war is sort of a test to see how NATO and the U.S. will handle the “loser” of the cold war, Russia (and the rest of the old Soviet Union) when their ideologies do not fit each others.  I read an interesting article on rbth.com that suggests that the post-cold war world is much less stable and reliable than the world during the cold war.  This is because during the cold war, both sides (NATO and the Soviet Union) usually acted according to certain rules and standards that would not create conflict.

Now that the world is out of the cold war era, it is a whole new ball game with a new set of rules, or maybe even no rules.  Since the start of the conflict, Russia has been under sanctions that are diminishing the power of their economy.  In response, Russia has made it clear to the U.S. that any help given to the Ukraine will be seen as an act of war towards Russia.  Russia has made a number of threats towards the united states, and has very recently threatened to release “smoking gun” satellite images that prove that the U.S. government was behind the 9/11 attacks.  The point I am trying to get across is that the current conflict in the Ukraine could be a catalyst to much bigger conflicts, possibly even a second cold war.

While the U.S. and NATO are still standing together, Russia doesn’t have very many supporters of its actions in Crimea.  Neighboring Kazakhstan and Belarus will not help their efforts.  Even China has stated that they will not help Russia in succeeding, they only disapprove of a “U.S. victory”.  While Russia doesn’t have much national support, they do seem to have the approval of small rebel groups around the globe.  South American rebel groups do approve and have been “flirting” with Moscow.  There are even “pro-soviet” groups in Islamic culture that are willing to help.  While these small alliances won’t prove to be much help to Russia, they do make the statement that there are people willing to help Russia all around the world.  What if there were secret pro-Russian organizations in the U.S., acting as some sort of “sleeper-cell”?

This conflict is much more than a territorial battle.  We are in the middle of a test to see how the western world and the eastern world can cooperate after the apparent “end” of the cold war.  The U.S. has done a good job of not getting involved in this conflict, but how long will it be before it is necessary that we intervene?

Will Russia stop its expansion if they acquire the Ukraine?  Or will they continue to push, much as Hitler and Nazi Germany did prior to WWII?

Reporting out,

-Mack

 

Rebels vs Government

The possibility of war in Ukraine has been a hot topic in the news these past couple of weeks. There are so many factors that contribute to the matter with so many possible outcomes. In the most recent of news, both the government and the pro- Russian rebel leaders in Eastern Ukraine have agreed to start readying heavy weapons from the frontline. A stronger tension is starting to form in between the two groups, especially after the reported explosion in Kharkiv, the biggest city in east Russia. It was reported that the explosion happened today during a memorial rally, killing two people, a policeman and a demonstrator. After reading several articles, it was brought to my attention that this was an assumed attack by the rebels. Though they have four Russian suspects in custody, they don’t know for a fact that this was a war-like act. In my opinion, they shouldn’t act on this matter until they know forsure, for it could cause major problems for both sides.

The two sides decided upon a ceasefire agreement last week, which was already ignored by the rebels by capturing the town of Debaltseve. This resulted in the retreating of thousands of Ukrainian troops and twenty Ukrainian soliders’ deaths. Germany and France mediated this agreement, and are now questioning its effectiveness because of this. Now the question is, will they begin to advance deeper into “New Russia”? It is assumed that since the group has achieved Debaltseve, there will be a pause in their war-like activity. It was decided that both sides would exchange prisoners and on Sunday, the rebels will start withdrawing their weapons from the frontlines.

Even though Russia completely denies that they have troops in Eastern Ukraine right now, Moscow is now moving more armor and troops to a perspective target, the port of Mariupol. The ceasefire would be destroyed if an attack were to occur here. The Ukranian government is predicting the seizure of the city because of the geographical advantages it presents for the rebels. It would provide a direct land route between the Crimean peninsula and Russia.

To get a more well round look at the situation, I think it’s very important to keep in mind the United States and it’s involvement in the matter. As of right now, the US and its allies are discussing the resolutions for the conflict. It was stated by Secretary Kerry that President Obama is considering several options, such as imposing deeper sanctions for the truce and arming Ukrainian forces.

“In the next few days I anticipate that President Obama will evaluate the choices that are in front of him and will make his decision as to what the next step will be…..There are serious discussions taking place between us and our European allies as to what those next sanctions steps ought to be and when they ought to be implemented….I am confident some additional steps will be taken in response to the breaches of the ceasefire.” –Kerry

That’s it for this weeks post. Make sure to follow up on the conflict, because it’s bound to start unfolding soon. There are so many factors that may contribute to either of the outcomes. It’s going to be an interesting next couple of months for Ukraine and the Russian rebels.

-D

Demirjian, Karoun. “Is Mariupol the next Target of the Rebels’ Advance in Ukraine?” Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web.

Gatten, Emma. “Ukraine Crisis.” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web.

News, CBC. “Ukraine Preparing for ‘full-scale War,’ Says Former Envoy to Canada.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 21 Feb. 2015. Web.

Zverev, Anton. “Rebels Order Weapons Pull-back as Ukraine Say Armor Arriving.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 22 Feb. 2015. Web.

 

Nuclear Warefare in our midst?

The U.S. government and  media are stating that a possible nuclear confrontation with Russia over Ukraine may occur. It is said that this time it will be without any serious decision-making throughout the nuclear age. Instead, Officials at Washington seem to be “possessed” by a self-righteous mind-set that could be the kick-start to the end of life on this planet.

Nearly across the U.S. political spectrum, there is a poisonous “group think” which has changed what should have been a manageable political dispute in Ukraine. Instead, its being morphed into some “morality play” where U.S. politicians talk about how the nearly one-year-old  regime in Kiev “share our values” and how America must be prepared to defend this regime militarily.

Although It is stated that President Barack Obama personally recognizes how foolish this attitude is, he has not yet attempted a significant move to face the craziness and, indeed, has tolerated actions by his underlings .Given the real potential stakes of a nuclear war, U.S Government officials talk loosely about sending military support to an unstable regime in Kiev. Examples of this includes neo-Nazis who have performed death-squad missions against the Russians in eastern Ukraine.

Popular belief shows that Russians fear that U.S. officials are contemplating placing Cruise missiles in Ukraine, which Moscow regards as a direct threat to its national security. Whether or not the Russians are being pessimist, these fears are affecting their own decision-making.

None of the  previous nuclear-age presidents – Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton or even George W. Bush –  have engaged in such actions on Russia’s borders, though some surely behaved aggressively in overthrowing governments and starting wars farther away.

Russian government Officials have repeatedly protested these “death-squad missions” and other crimes committed by the Kiev regime, however, the U.S. media is favoring western Ukrainians, suppressing this aspect of the crisis.

Though the State Department and the U.S. media continue to blame Russia, the fact that the Ukraine crisis has reached such a dangerous crossroad reveals how reckless the behavior of theOfficials at Washington has been over the past year according to the media. Further, the U.S. news media refused to conduct a serious investigation into the evidence that helped destabilize Yanukovych’s government with the hopes of achieving another “regime change”.

Through this combination of propaganda, confusion and stubbornness, a momentum lurched toward a nuclear showdown over Ukraine that could put all life on earth in danger. That’s all for today’s post. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment. Make sure you follow and be added to our email list! thanks for reading.

-M

 

Media and the War in Ukraine

Everybody has heard about the current war between Russia and Ukraine. It is a recurring topic on most news stations in the United States, whether they are reporting on the events of the war itself or the United State’s involvement. It is also becoming a conservation piece in most social interactions. This all started when Russia invaded Ukraine because they wanted to reclaim back the land they had when they were called the Soviet Union. The Russian flag was raised in the capital of Ukraine and then the fighting between the Ukrainian rebels and Russian military began. It has been an ongoing struggle ever since.

Recently, reports have been coming in stating that the situation in Ukraine is only getting worse. The people of Ukraine are refusing to fight and are becoming upset with the war effort. This is causing the Ukraine government to “beef up” their fighting forces, but with thousands of lives already lost, the economy crashing and moral decreasing at a steadfast rate, people have begun to avoid the draft. Especially, since many have come back from the front wounded and have been spreading their grim stories. The Ukrainians feel demoralized and just want the fighting and the suffering to end.

How do you feel after reading that? Do you feel any compassion toward the Ukrainians? Do you understand why they want the war to end? Do you think they should suck it up and defend their beloved country? What is your overall reaction? It’s amazing how the media can make you feel about an issue all from a simple news story. It is the media’s job, after all, to keep you committed and interested to their stories and what better way than to appeal to your emotions.

How does the media do this? If you turn on your TV or computer and watch the news you’ll always find them reporting on something huge. War is one example of these huge topics. The news media know it’s a scary thing to happen and they know that’s what gets the public’s attention. We as human beings tend to be attracted to dangerous situations. The news also tends to pray on our softer emotions, especially the big news coverers like CBS, Fox, WRAL and NBC. For example, they tend to report stories of families losing their loved ones or homes due to the fighting, or a lone solider who survived a bombing. It one article, it takes a dark turn when a wounded solider describes the carnage after a bomb struck near him. It’s kind of like the news becoming a soap opera rather than stating the facts or reasons for the events of the war. To be honest, I didn’t even know why the war between Russia and Ukraine started until I did some digging on the Internet. In general, it’s all about the emotional tone when it comes to those broadcast stations.

On the other hand, you have smaller news dispensers like the Global Post who report on the war through actual events and people. They are way more informative with the events of the war and aren’t constantly trying to grab their viewer’s heartstrings making their tone feel more objective. This tends to make the public either care less about the situation or feel more informed and understanding of what’s going on.

I repeat, war is a big topic and can easily come up in any conversation. The media covering the war can get more people interested through hype and hearsay. Social media can impact news stations in either positive or negative ways. When they are positive, you have more of the public conversing about the subject. When negative, the information about the issue hardly get’s passed around. Obliviously, the news media want their viewers to react positively so they can stay engaged with the situation. It kind of ties in with the media conveying to your emotions. In this case, the news reports on the Ukraine war want you to react by being shocked, angry or saddened. This will probably compel you to express your opinion to a friend or family member and thus, the news story get’s more attention.

The war between Ukraine and Russia is an ongoing topic and people are still going to keep talking about and expressing their own feelings about the situation. The media is helping to keep the public informed and interested just in case the United States does become more involved in the war. So even though the media does have a few ways to keep you watching their channel or reading their online reports, they have your best interest when covering the war in Ukraine.

Posted by: Cassidy Tanner

Sources cited:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/war-of-words-between-ukraine-and-pro-russian-rebels-heats-up/

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/rebels-suffer-heavy-losses-battle-ukraines-debaltseve-n296841.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/150131/ukraine-war-getting-worse-unfortunately-not-everyone-wants-fight

 

Group 4!

Cassidy Tanner, Morgan Vandusen, Mack Ransom, and Deven Smirz