Military Industrial Complex
President Eisenhower raises numerous questions to the state of America in his farewell address. The Military-Industrial Complex is a term he created to define monetary and foreign policy in the 1950’s and 60’s. It is a policy that invests most of its money to military. It is suggested that the United States puts too much influence in its military and that it is a very imperialistic ideal. President Eisenhower also states its effects on American economy, politics, and spirit under the Military-Industrial Complex.
His farewell address was a warning, that if America does not control its military investments, it will develop the Military-Industrial Complex. The economical outcome of building a large military creates less funding for other American Institutions. The more money spent on manufacturing weapons, tanks, aircraft and other palpable material will be money not spent on education, healthcare, and social security.
However, if America decided to keep funding institutions other than military and was unable to fund more military institutions, the Military-Industrial Complex will find the need to borrow money and/or weapons internationally which would raise the national debt. America would not be able to develop a more educated generation if it were to impose a Military-Industrial Complex. More consequences could involve lower standards of living for Americans or an imperialistic foreign policy. From a political standpoint, building a strong military could influence political relationships around the world.
Other countries, as well as ours, currently view America as the supreme super-power of the world. As much common knowledge as this is, it is argued that within human nature is the need to conquer, and because America has a large military, it will be used to involve themselves in foreign affairs, much like the Vietnam War, where American idealists wanted to bring democratic justice to that country. It is a very modernistic ideal that America should have a strong military, and not be needed to use it. However, this is never the case.
In Chalmers Johnson’s book, Blowback, he describes the presence of military establishments in Japanese territory. The term Blowback was created by Johnson, and adapted by the CIA after the events on September 11th, 2001 to describe the events that occur resulting from clandestine operations in other countries. The military bases greatly affected the society of the Japanese civilization near them. Johnson describes an instance in his book where a soldier from one of the bases was driving and hit and killed a Japanese civilian.
The soldiers would go to their nightclubs and eat at their restaurants. Their tanks and mortar field tests would leave large holes in Japanese mountains. American influence in other countries would be viewed as imperialistic and is just another trait of the Military-Industrial Complex that Eisenhower describes. America is viewed as the land of opportunity where you can be healthy, happy, and successful. However, it can be viewed as a nation that imposes their military power on other countries. Many immigrants come to America and bring their values with them.
Many citizens do not agree with the need to be involved in many foreign affairs. American values of world peace are often hypocritical when the military involves themselves in Iraq and Afghanistan. Spiritually, the Military-Industrial Complex can cause a lack of integrity and pride. Eisenhower’s warning is still being examined even today. Many worry that President Barack Obama’s foreign policy is beginning to impose onto other countries. The term that Eisenhower coined in the 1960’s can be applied to the today’s situation politically and economically.
