In the 1980s, one of the most popular songs was 99 Red Balloons, by the Berlin-based band Nena. In the German version of the song, they sang, 99 Kriegsminister, Streichholz und Benzinkanister (99 war ministers, match and gasoline can).
While the lines lose their poetry when translated directly into English, they do sum up the sentiment as well as the reality of the era. Those of us growing up during the Cold War never knew when the match would be struck, we never knew if tomorrow was going to exist.
As military information from this period becomes declassified, it is very clear that we were right to fear for our existence. In 1983, NATO forces were carrying out exercises in Europe, known as Operation Able Archer. The Soviets were uncertain as to whether these were exercises or an actual military mobilization and went on alert.
This is just one example of how close the world came to nuclear war. There are at least two other incidences of high Soviet and American military officers choosing not to follow protocol and tell their commanders of system malfunctions warning of attack, thus averting nuclear catastrophe.
Despite the foreboding atmosphere of the Cold War, people on both sides of the Iron Curtain chose to believe in a better world. The activism that has been prevalent since the 1960s really has changed the world.
American intellectual and activist Noam Chomsky remarks at how our world is a much kinder place than it was 50 years ago. We no longer accept the sexism, racism, homophobia and military aggression that were once so commonplace.
To illustrate, Chomsky points out how American President John F. Kennedy participated in the nuclear arms race and brought his country into the conflict in Vietnam, wreaking havoc on that country. There was no opposition to the actions of his administration, and the United States ended up embroiled in a conflict that they could not win.
Fast forward 20 years to the Reagan administration. Early displays of aggression in Central America were very similar to those of Kennedy in Indo-China. His plans for nuclear buildup were also similar to Kennedy's. Reagan, however, was met with massive protests and, though great harm was inflicted, it was not nearly as bad as it could have been. For me, this was my introduction to political activism.
What was especially empowering during this time was the knowledge that we were part of a global force. As the Solidarity movement grew in Poland, we realized that this was not capitalist issue or a communist issue. We realized that people are people, we all wanted to live in peace, harmony and prosperity, and we could not be held back by walls.
Though we may have appeared to be powerless, we chose to believe in a better world. We protested, and when we didn't know what else to do, we prayed for peace. In the end, our activism, especially that of the brave people behind the Iron Curtain, brought an end to the Cold War. It really was nothing short of miraculous.
The same spirit exists in the world today. Longtime activist Bernie Sanders nearly won the nomination of a major American political party with almost no corporate support and very little media coverage. Efforts to increase global division are being met with massive protests and demonstrations of solidarity that cross all ethnic, political and religious lines.
There are still reasons to be concerned about the future of humanity. However, when we confront propaganda with truth, when we reach out to one another in a spirit of cooperation and understanding, when we look at how far we have come, we realize that ordinary people are a powerful force for good.
