Your first step to completing this paper is to narrow down your topic by the subjects you select. Below you will find two lists—one refers to Cold War period (1947–1990) examples of confrontation and one list provides examples of confrontations occurring in the Post-Cold War period (1991–Present). Each example will involve a specific strategic concern and confrontation. Review the examples below and choose one strategic concern and one confrontation from each time period to focus on in your paper. Once you have chosen your examples, review the sources noted below. Besides this instruction sheet and the Writing Guide, be sure to review the other helps (documents or video) provided by your instructor. For information on the SWS format, see the “Strayer Writing Standards” tab on the course menu, usually at the lower left of your Blackboard course shell.

QUESTION

Assignment 3: America as Superpower—Confrontation in a Nuclear Age
(1947-Present)

History 105: Due Week 9 and worth 120 points (Dr. Stansbury)
Submission deadline: 9am Eastern Time; Monday morning, June 8
In Assignment 3, we ask you to write about America’s international superpower role for the long period since World War II to the present using a Writing Guide provided in Blackboard. Your paper must use a minimum of three sources from the list provided below.
Your first step to completing this paper is to narrow down your topic by the subjects you select. Below you will find two lists—one refers to Cold War period (1947–1990) examples of confrontation and one list provides examples of confrontations occurring in the Post-Cold War period (1991–Present). Each example will involve a specific strategic concern and confrontation. Review the examples below and choose one strategic concern and one confrontation from each time period to focus on in your paper. Once you have chosen your examples, review the sources noted below. Besides this instruction sheet and the Writing Guide, be sure to review the other helps (documents or video) provided by your instructor. For information on the SWS format, see the “Strayer Writing Standards” tab on the course menu, usually at the lower left of your Blackboard course shell.
In this assignment, instead of choosing from different topics, you choose how to narrow down a larger topic by focusing on some specific issues and specific examples. Using the listed items provided, you get to choose how you do that narrowing of the focus of your paper.
————–
You need two examples–one for each period.
FIRST EXAMPLE: Cold War period (1947-1990) possible examples–choose one strategic concern and one confrontation that illustrates that concern—the combination of strategic concern and confrontation will be your example for this period:
Cold War strategic concerns: Containment, Domino Theory, “MAD Doctrine”
Cold War confrontations: Berlin Airlift; Korean War; Vietnam War; Cuban Missile Crisis
Ideas: Your Cold War period example could be: a) Korean War & containment; or b) Vietnam & domino theory; or Cuban Crisis & MAD; or Berlin Airlift and containment.
SECOND EXAMPLE: Post-Cold War period (1991-2020) possible examples—choose one strategic concern and one confrontation that illustrates that concern—the combination of strategic concern and confrontation will be your example for this period:
Post-Cold War strategic concerns: Terrorism, Rogue States; WMD
Post-Cold War confrontations: First Persian Gulf War (1991); Invasion of Afghanistan (2001);
Invasion of Iraq (2003); Bombing of Libya (2011)

Ideas: Your Post-Cold War period example could be: a) First Persian Gulf War (1991) & Rogue state; or b) invasion of Afghanistan (2001) & terrorism; or c) Bombing of Libya (2011) & Rogue state; or d) invasion of Iraq (2003) & WMD.
[See sources on next page]
p. 2
Sources: Schultz, p. 462–7, 485–8, 499–506, 535–540, 560–7. See notes below and list on next page.
You must use the Schultz text as one of your sources. You must use a minimum of three sources overall—you may use more. Besides the Schultz book, your other sources must come from the list below (on the next page) or from Strayer University’s online library. Any source used MUST be listed at the end of your paper on a numbered Sources list in SWS format—and each source listed MUST also be cited in the body of the paper with a short, SWS style in-text citation. Important: Choose sources that relate to your paper (list is below):
Besides the Schultz textbook, you may also use any two (or more) of the following sources that relate to your paper:
George H. W. Bush. March 6, 1991. Address before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Cessation of the Persian Gulf Conflict. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/bushnwo.html
B. Caplan. Sept. 9, 2019. The Domino Theory Reconsidered. https://www.econlib.org/the-domino-theory-reconsidered/
S. Chace. Summer, 2015. The Cuban Missile Crisis: Leadership as Disturbance, Informed by History. http://libdatab.strayer.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=109462818&site=eds-live&scope=site
Winston Churchill. March, 1946. Iron Curtain Speech, Fulton College, Missouri. https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1946-1963-elder-statesman/the-sinews-of-peace/
John F. Dulles. January 2, 1954. Secretary Dulles’ Strategy of Massive Retaliation. http://college.cengage.com/history/wadsworth_9781133309888/unprotected/ps/dulles.html
K. Hickman. Aug. 9, 2019. History of Containment Policy. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-containment-2361022

R. McNamara. July 3, 2019. Why Did the US Enter the Vietnam War? https://www.thoughtco.com/why-did-us-enter-vietnam-war-195158

B. K. Musili. August 1, 2017. What is a Rogue State? WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-a-rogue-state.html
Colin Powell. February 6, 2003. Transcript of Powell’s UN Presentation. http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/05/sprj.irq.powell.transcript/
N. Robins-Early. March 7, 2015. Was the 2011 Libya Intervention a Mistake? Huffington Post. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/libya-intervention-daalder_n_6809756

D. Victor. Dec. 21, 2018. Need a Refresher on the War in Afghanistan? Here are the Basics. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/world/asia/afghanistan-war-explainer.html

R. Wilde. June 20, 2019. What is Mutually Assured Destruction? Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/mutually-assured-destruction-1221190
[Formatting Instructions are on the next page]
p. 3
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
• Use Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other formats like APA. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
• Be typed, double spaced between lines, using Times New Roman font, Calibri, Arial, or Courier (size 10, 11, or 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and sources must follow SWS format. You must have a Sources list at the end; each source listed must also be cited in the body of the paper with an in-text citation. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• The preferred file software is Microsoft Word (part of MS-Office). Alternatively, a student can use Windows’ WordPad (not NotePad) or OpenOffice. (Please do not submit files in .pdf format or Apple’s Pages or Google docs.)
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the Sources page are not included in the required assignment page length.
• The body of the paper should be five paragraphs and a total of 500-to-800 words in length. The 500 minimum is firm; you really have not adequately developed the paper if less than that. The 800 maximum is a loose guideline. The body of the paper is to be double-spaced. Typically, if you follow these instructions, the body of your paper will be 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pages in length—add a page for your title page and another for your sources list and that then gets to 4-1/2-to 5/1/2. But, the length requirement is evaluated by word count.
The paper must be submitted (uploaded and attached) in the course shell provided online.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Discuss the rise of the United States to a world “superpower” from 1940 to present day and how the formal international policies of government influenced the role of America as a policeman of the world.

ANSWER

 America as a Superpower: Confrontation in a Nuclear Age

Introduction

Since World War II, the United States has emerged as a global superpower, wielding significant influence in international affairs. This paper explores America’s role as a superpower during two distinct periods: the Cold War era (1947-1990) and the post-Cold War period (1991-present). By examining strategic concerns and confrontations, we gain insights into how U.S. foreign policy shaped global dynamics and the implications of nuclear weapons in international relations.

Cold War Period (1947-1990)

Strategic Concern: Containment

Definition and origins of containment policy

The Korean War: A confrontation illustrating containment

Strategic Concern: Domino Theory

Explanation of the domino theory

The Vietnam War: A confrontation illustrating the domino theory

Strategic Concern: Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) Doctrine

Overview of the MAD doctrine

The Cuban Missile Crisis: A confrontation illustrating MAD

Post-Cold War Period (1991-Present)

Strategic Concern: Terrorism

The rise of global terrorism as a strategic concern

The Invasion of Afghanistan (2001): A confrontation against terrorism

Strategic Concern: Rogue States

Definition and characteristics of rogue states

The Invasion of Iraq (2003): A confrontation with a rogue state

Strategic Concern: Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

The threat posed by WMD proliferation

The First Persian Gulf War (1991): A confrontation involving WMD concerns

Conclusion

Throughout its history as a superpower, the United States has confronted various strategic concerns that have shaped its foreign policy decisions. From containment during the Cold War to addressing terrorism and WMD proliferation in the post-Cold War era, the U.S. has navigated complex global challenges. Understanding these confrontations and their underlying strategic concerns provides valuable insights into America’s role as a global superpower and the impact of nuclear weapons on international relations.

References

Schultz, Kevin M. HIST: Volume 2: U.S. History Since 1865. 5th ed., Cengage Learning, 2018.

Caplan, Bryan. “The Domino Theory Reconsidered.” EconLib, 9 Sept. 2019, https://www.econlib.org/the-domino-theory-reconsidered/. 

Chace, Scott L. “The Cuban Missile Crisis: Leadership as Disturbance, Informed by History.” Journal of Leadership Studies, vol. 8, no. 4, Summer 2015, pp. 45-52.

Victor, Daniel. “Need a Refresher on the War in Afghanistan? Here are the Basics.” The New York Times, 21 Dec. 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/world/asia/afghanistan-war-explainer.html.  

Powell, Colin. “Transcript of Powell’s UN Presentation.” CNN, 6 Feb. 2003, http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/05/sprj.irq.powell.transcript/.