Terrorism In Modern Society

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In modern society, a constant component of the news involves terrorism and acts related to it. Even though society and news outlets are quick to invoke the word terrorism, there remains a debate over what the word denotes, and the connotation associated with it. Terrorism is an impactful word that when put into effect, can be used to demonize groups of people. With every new chapter written in history, the definition of terrorism changes too. If war and conflict continue to exist, so will terrorism. The more political power an entity possesses, the more importance is given to their unique definition of terrorism. Terrorism is an everchanging concept that molds itself to the circumstances of the world. Terrorism can only be controlled; it can …show more content…

The first instance of terrorism being used was during the Reign of Terror, a time where there was a mass persecution of French nobility on behalf of revolutionaries (White 2017). The French nobility were obviously terrified as may were often executed without a trial and their social status was considered more than enough evidence to be found guilty. In the modern world, the term terrorism goes deeper than social class and is more commonly used to define a form of violence that takes aim at a group of civilians with the hope of spreading fear to a larger target and achieve a political goal. For example, 9/11 is the most infamous example used when describing a terrorist attack. It was a strategic act, planned in secrecy, with the intention of spreading fear throughout the Western world. To rid the Middle East of American capitalist influences, Osama Bin Laden led an attack against the World Trade Center. Instead of targeting a military base, Bin Laden chose the World Trade Center in the heart of Manhattan. The gruesome attack killed approximately 3,000 people, the majority being civilians and first aid responders. As a result, it was hard for the American people to believe that the country was safe and fear along with paranoia began to spread. It was the exact reaction that Bin Laden and al Qaeda were hoping to receive. Due to the planning and execution, 9/11 would go down in history as the deadliest terrorist …show more content…

As the nature of war changed, so did the definition of terrorism. In modern time, a misinterpretation of terrorism can cause military acts to be viewed as terrorism. One of the most controversial military debates centers around whether the United States bombing of Hiroshima during WWII could be considered a war crime or not. After the German surrender, the Allied forces hoped the Japanese would follow suit but even conventional bombing killed “an estimated 330,000 Japanese” (National Park Service, n.d., para.4). Despite that, the Japanese government remained defiant and planned on fighting to the end. To finally end the war and display the full military power of the United States, President Truman approved the dropping of the world’s first atomic bomb. The most basis definition of terrorism would indicate that the United States government were guilty of the act since they secretly plotted to drop the bomb that killed thousands of civilians. However, in times of conflict, the definition is not so black and white. Japan was in the middle of a war and already endured multiple bombings. For an act to be considered terrorism, it would not only have to be planned in secrecy, but the victims must be unaware that such an act is about to take place. It is hard to argue that an area used as a

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