Military+Industrial+Complex



By definition Military Industrial Complex is "the combined interests of the military establishment and industries involved in producing military material considered as exerting influence on U.S. foreign and economic policy." From George Washington to George Bush, presidents use their farewell speech to remissness on their experiences in office. Their parting words also offer some words of advice to the people. In President Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell address, he told the public, "A high level of military spending and the establishment of a large arms industry in peacetime were something new in the American experience." And in his most famous words, Eisenhower warned the country about the military industrial complex saying, "The country must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence...by the military industrial complex." Eisenhower feared that there would be an uneven balance between defense spending, and a thriving economy. In his second term Eisenhower was pressured by Congress to increase defense spending, but because Eisenhower had previous military experience he was well aware of how much defense spending was actually necessary. But, the biggest concern Eisenhower has was that military industrial complex would sway government priorities and foreign policy. media type="youtube" key="8y06NSBBRtY?version=3" height="207" width="332" align="center"

When Eisenhower left office, 50 cents to every dollar the U.S. was able to spend went to building military strength.

When Kennedy came to office, he supported a large military build up which he summarized in his speech to the Fort Worth camber of commerce in Nov 22nd 1963 " In the past 3 years we have increased the defense budget of the United States by over 20 percent; increased the program of acquisition for Polaris submarines from 24 to 41; increased our Minuteman missile purchase program by more than 75 percent; doubled the number of strategic bombers and missiles on alert; doubled the number of nuclear weapons available in the strategic alert forces; increased the tactical nuclear forces deployed in Western Europe by over 60 percent; added five combat ready divisions to the Army of the United States, and five tactical fighter wings to the Air Force of the United States; increased our strategic airlift capability by 75 percent; and increased our special counterinsurgency forces which are engaged now in South Viet-Nam by 600 percent. I hope those who want a stronger America and place it on some signs will also place those figures next to it."     Through out the 1960s the Military Industrial Complex was continued by Lyndon Johnson to pay for American expansion in the Vietnam War. Once Nixon came to power, he decreased defense spending and ended our involvement in the war in Vietnam.  The military industrial complex continued to decrease under the presidency of Ford, and Carter. Military spending continued to decrease until Reagan came into office. Reagan's administration revived the B-1 bomber program ( cut by the Carter administration ) and began production of the MX Peace Keeper Missile. Reagan also beefed up intelligence agency's. Other m ajor programs supported by Reagan include the Star Wars program and the modernization of our navy. Star Wars was a space based anti-ballistic missile shield, and the navy was expanded to 600 ships. He also took WWII battle ships out of mothballs. During Reagan's term military spending had a 43% increase over the total amount of money spent during the height of the Vietnam war.

 The Reagan military build up in dramatically increased our budget deficits. Reagan began reaching out to Gorbachev in hopes to cut the neuclear arms race but not until 1987-88 treaties were signed to solve the nuclear crisis between U.S and Russia.   The Soldiers Of Today Opinion on MIC

__//Significance and Impact on the Cold War//__ During the Cold War, the Military Industrial Complex was used ultimately to show Russia the power we had. During the Reagan administration we pushed to show how superior we were to Russia. Although the MIC rose and declined depending on the presidential administration, Reagan's final push to increase military spending pushed the Cold War to an end.  <span style="color: #ca1010; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;"> Works Cited "http://dictionary.reverso.net." // military-industrial complex //. reverso, 2000. Web. 1 May 2012.

"http://www.fas.org." // Smedley Butler //. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. <http://www.fas.org/man/smedley.htm>.

Maricle, Genevieve. "Military-Industrial Complex." //Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics//. Ed. Carl Mitcham. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 1198-1200. //Gale U.S. History In Context//. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

"Military-Industrial Complex." //International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences//. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 173-174. //Gale U.S. History In Context//. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

. "Remarks at the Breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. November 22, 1963." // Public Papers of the Presidents //. N.p., November 22, 1963. Web. 1 May 2012