Analyze (using specific examples) how America’s wars and national emergencies (World War I, Great Depression, World War II, early Cold War, Vietnam, and 9/11) have prompted the national government to assume larger and larger powers.

specifically, How did
Cold War conflicts, particularly Vietnam, affect the government's power to wage war? How has the government used conflicts such as wars or the Cold
War to justify increasing surveillance and control of American citizens
 ?

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I know that the government used wars to spread fear among citizens, such as the spread of communism, and used that as a way to increase surveillance and control through certain restrictions, etc. I also realize that imposing a draft was somewhat of a violation of the personal freedom of citizens. That is where I am stuck, I don't know how Vietnam affected the governments power to wage war or any other powers the government has attained from wars.

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The Cold War conflicts, particularly the Vietnam War, had a significant impact on the government's power to wage war. During the Vietnam War, the national government found it necessary to escalate its military involvement and commitment in order to combat the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. This led to an expansion of the government's war-making powers.

One specific example is the "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution" passed by the U.S. Congress in 1964. The resolution granted President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authority to take any necessary measures to repel any armed attack against U.S. forces and to prevent further aggression in Vietnam. This resolution effectively gave the President almost unlimited power to conduct military operations in Southeast Asia without a formal declaration of war from Congress.

The Vietnam War also prompted an expansion of surveillance and control over American citizens. The government justified this expansion by citing the need to prevent anti-war protests and to identify potential threats to national security. One well-known example is the FBI's "COINTELPRO" program, which targeted various anti-war and civil rights groups during the 1960s and 1970s. This program involved widespread surveillance, infiltration, and often illegal tactics, such as wiretapping and burglary, in an effort to suppress dissent and maintain control.

Furthermore, the Cold War itself created an environment of heightened national security concerns, which the government used as justification to increase surveillance and control of American citizens. The fear of communist infiltration and espionage led to the creation of agencies like the FBI and CIA, which conducted extensive surveillance on both domestic and international activities. Additionally, the government expanded its intelligence collection capabilities through programs such as the National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance programs, including the controversial warrantless wiretapping program exposed by Edward Snowden in 2013.

In summary, the Cold War conflicts, including the Vietnam War, prompted the national government to assume larger powers in terms of waging war. These conflicts also provided justifications for the government to increase surveillance and control over American citizens, citing reasons such as maintaining national security and preventing dissent.