C. Wright Mills and His Understanding of the Cold War/Wwiii

Yunlong Li November 11, 2012 C. Wright mill and His Understanding of the shabby war/WWIII Authors and historians suffer attempted to read what caused and perpetuated the Cold War for decades. Although it is not a primary answer with simple component reasons, this brief essay will seek to explain to the reader a few of the main reasons why the Cold War transpired as it did and what mechanisms kept it going. As a means of brain the Cold War, the originator of the essay has reviewed the writings of C.Wright submarine sandwich with relation to this topic as head as various different authors who have been cited and referenced in the downstairs analysis. Before delving into the subject matter and trying to understand what caused and perpetuated the Cold War, it is worth(predicate) first pointing out some of the situationually in crystallize information that surrounds many an(prenominal) usual approaches to the Cold War. The first, and perhaps most prominent of these faulty points of view, is that the Cold War was thrust upon the united States by a dangerous and too obstreperous Soviet amalgamation after the conclusion of land War II.This view is faulty receiv fit to the fact that both(prenominal) super authoritys that emerged after the abet World War were inherently distrustful of the other. Furthermore, it can be seen that the business leader structure that emerged upchuck both actors on a collision gradation with respect to the fact that the economic systems championed by both the linked States and the Soviet Union were inherently against one another.As such, it can be understood as a self-fulfilling prophecy that both sides would engender into remainder with each other (Goertzel 243). In this way, it can be understood that it was not either ineluctably the fact that the United States or the Soviet Union was actively aggressive that promised that the twain powers would come at odds with one another alternatively it was their inhere nt differences in political systems, ideology, economics, and the fact that they were both superpowers intent on dominating the reality system.Perhaps the most interesting idea that Mills retch forward was the idea of what ultimately kept the peace betwixt the United States and the Soviet Union during periods of extreme pressure and stress that occurred during the Cold War. Mills assumeed that a hierarchy of power elite were the true actors behind the scenes that worked to ensure a full confrontation between the two superpowers would never construe into an actuality (Marino 29). These power elite, as Mills called them, were the executive branch (president of the United States), top Pentagon multitude leaders, and the corporate rich. Although this view definitely bears some truth, the fact of the matter is that such an oversimplification does not factor in to sum up the key players in the Soviet Union that also sought to clutches the conflict from coming to a head to head con frontation. Mills goes on to maintain that one of the largest reasons that would precipitate World War III would be the fact that both sides were in such a dire state of preparedness for such a conflict.This particular view is interesting overdue to the fact that many authors have listed this preparation as one of the reasons that the two sides did not actually come to blows (Warner 174). Although hindsight is of manakin perfect, Mills seemed to believe that the affect of preparing for such a conflict would mean that the two sides would be odd with a type of self-fulfilling prophecy as soundly as a broad range of advanced weaponry which would guarantee that the two would come to blows in the form of a Third World War.More specifically, Mills dictum the advent of new weapons systems and the way in which the military industrial obscure continued to push for an escalation in the conflict as proof despotic that the momentum for all out war was definitely evident. Many authors c laim that Mills particular view of the way in which the Soviet Union and the United States would come into conflict as a result of the tensions created by the factors that have been listed was not the result of the fact that he truly believed this to be true but due to the fact that he was attempting to agitate political change within the United States.Mills, although a prolific writer and well known intellectual, was also a member of the movement known as the New Left. This particular movement subscribed to the view that the military and key elements of the power elite had entirely too much power over the way in which policy decisions were being make and the common man/electorate was less and less important in determining the afterlife of the nation.Accordingly, authors have attempted to show that rather than showing his true flummox on the Cold War and what might occur as a result of the political actions that were taking place at the time, Mills instead sought to create a move ment for change within the reliable political structure by engaging academics and intellectuals in realizing that the current course could only lead to conflict and destruction of all systems equally.Yet another tack together view states that the true allure and appeal of the Cold War was a solidifying effect for American and Soviet leaders. As they were able to symbolize to their people and electorates that an existential threat existed outside of their own system, they were able to educe levels of patriotism, belief, and economic efficiency/utility that would not have otherwise been able to be realized (Saull 1124).As a result of the fact that the leadership of both systems recognized and valued the importance that such a bi-polar view of the world effected on their populations, both sides were no doubt at least(prenominal) partially interested in keeping up the appearance of fulminant confrontation as a means to manage their people and film the overall efficiency of their economies. All of the guess work and alternate theories merit their place however, just because the theories of MAD and the deterrence that other strategic decisions that were made by both sides encouraged more level heads to prevail during this chilled conflict.Merely due to the fact that a theory is old and has been tested and measured thousands of times does not require that a new theory should be put in its place (Roberts 1476). Accordingly, although many of Mills points bear analysis, it would be premature and reckless to put these theories in place of the time-tested and proven theories that have for so long helped to define the logic of why the United States and Soviet Union were able to keep the peace between themselves during the turbulent historic period surround the Cold War.What is important to understand from the preceding analysis is not whether C Wright Mills or any other theorists were correct rather, understanding the different ways that these theorists and phil osophers/political intellectuals saw the interplay between these superpowers and the subsequent conflict or lack of conflict it predicted helps the researcher to both understand and appreciate the differing levels of thought that helped to nuance and mystify our current understanding of the conflict surrounding the Cold War.In this way, trying to prove or disprove C Wright Mills views with relation to whether or not he was ultimately correct in the way he categorized and defined unique developments between these two superpowers becomes of secondary importance to attempting to understanding the causal historical factors that helped to develop the world view he works to give to the reader. Works Cited Goertzel, Ted G. The Causes Of World War III Thirty Years Later. Sociological Forum 4. 2 (1989) 241. donnish Search Complete.Web. 7 Nov. 2012. Marino, Noel. The arms trade. Detroit Greenhaven Press, 2009. Roberts, Geoffrey. The Cold War As History. International personal business 8 7. 6 (2011) 1475-1484. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. Saull, Richard. brotherly Conflict And The Global Cold War. International Affairs 87. 5 (2011) 1123-1140. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. Warner, Geoffrey. The Cold War In Retrospect. International Affairs 87. 1 (2011) 173-184. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Nov. 2012.