Assignment 3: America as a Superpower

The previous assignments focused on domestic matters in U.S. history. This last assignment explores America?s international role in recent decades. BACKGROUND–By the mid-20th century, the United States had become the dominant force in international relations. Some have argued that the United States? military functions as the world?s ?police.? This assignment covers the manner in which this shift occurred and the consequences the United States faces as a result of its status as ?policeman of the world.? One can identify early steps this direction well before World War II, but in this paper focus on the period from 1950 to the present. The American international ?policing? role developed because of the Cold War, but now terrorists or any power having or trying to get weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are the potential targets of such a role.  Examine the statements below and drawing from provided sources, present a paper with specific examples and arguments to demonstrate the validity of your position. Your paper will use specific examples?two from the Cold War years and two from the past two decades.   NOTE:  The word ?policing? here has nothing to do with traditional law enforcement agencies. It is more about trying to manage parts of the globe?usually by use of military force or the threat of it.  The aim of this management may be to maintain stability, remove threats of ?rogue? forces or terrorists or weapons, prevent the expansion of autocratic rule, protect a fledgling democracy, etc. Choose one of these position statements (make it the last sentence of your introductory paragraph): THESIS STATEMENT 1.  By examples from different decades since 1950, it is clear that the international policing role and strategy of the United States was once essential, but should now be discarded as ineffective and counterproductive. THESIS STATEMENT 2.  By examples from different decades since 1950, it is clear that the international policing role and strategy of the United States during the Cold War has become even more necessary in this period of terrorism and instability. In your paper, use specific examples?two from the Cold War years (1950-1991) and two from the past three decades (since 1991).   After giving general consideration to your readings and your research, select one of the positions above as your position?your thesis. (Sometimes after doing more thorough research, you might choose the reverse position. This happens with critical thinking and inquiry. Your final paper might end up taking a different position than you originally envisioned.) Organize your paper as follows, handling these issues with this FOUR-PART organization:    Length: The paper should be 500-to-750 words in length. Research and References: You must use a MINIMUM of four quality academic sources; the Schultz textbook must be one of them. The other three may be from the list below or from other quality sources you find in the university?s online library.  (Sticking with the list is a safe strategy; using other quality sources from the university?s online library is permitted.) This is guided research, not Googling. Source list for Assignment 3: Some sources are ?primary? sources from the time period being studied. Some sources below can be accessed via direct link or through the primary sources links on Blackboard. Each week has a different list of primary sources. For others, they are accessible through the permalink to the source in our online library: Sources below having libdatab.strayer.edu as part of the URL have a permalink to that source in our university?s online library. (The link takes you to the library log-in; you then log in, and then the source appears for you right away).  Each source below is shown in SWS form, so if you use it, you may easily copy the entire entry onto your paper?s sources list. (On a paper, never list an item as URL only.)SWS Form for the textbook:       Kevin M. Schultz. 2018. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865.  5th ed.Choose sources relevant to the topic and position you are taking:G. H. W. Bush. March 6, 1991. Address before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Cessation of the Persian Gulf Conflict. S. Chace. Summer, 2015. The Cuban Missile Crisis:  Leadership as Disturbance, Informed by History.    J. F. Dulles. Jan. 2, 1954. Secretary Dulles? Strategy of Massive Retaliation. M. Klare. July 15, 2002. Endless Military Superiority. T. McCrisken. April/May, 2013. Obama?s Drone War. C. Paul. 2008. Marines on the Beach: The Politics of U.S. Military Intervention Decision Making. eBook. C. Powell. Feb. 6, 2003. Transcript of Powell?s UN Presentation. R. Reagan. March, 1983. Remarks at the Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals. Kevin M. Schultz. 2018. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History since 1865.  5th ed. S. M. Tarzi. Sept. 2014. The Folly of a Grand Strategy of Coercive Global Primacy: A Fresh Perspective on the Post-9/11 Bush Doctrine.   Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: