Film Review: Thirteen Days in Relation to Mass Media Effect on Politics and the National Security (Essay Sample)

Name Professor Course Date Film Review: Thirteen Days in Relation to Mass Media Effect on Politics and the National Security Introduction The role of the media in politics is evident in its influences on the public’s perception of the politics. The influence is apparent in the considerable influence the media has in agenda setting through determining which public policies affect the country and which issues demand the attention of the political elites. Traditional outlets of media such as the radio, newspapers and television still enjoy a massive control on the information that reaches the public as well as the packing of this information for the public. For this reason, in instances of political confrontations especially among countries, the media plays a defining role in influencing the outcomes of the confrontations either by fueling the confrontations, acting as agents of passing information or informing the public on the confrontation. In the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, the media played a defining role in the confrontation between the Kennedy administration and the Soviet Union government. The film Thirteen Days dramatizes this confrontation. From the film, the role of the media is indispensable in the conflict. The paper purposes to review the film Thirteen Days directed by Roger Donaldson through highlighting two issues that correlate to the topic Media and Politics in the book American Government: Myths and Realities and the topic of National Security in the book American Democracy in Peril. The film Thirteen Days is a drama history film directed by Roger Donaldson and produced in 2000. The film details the confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union that almost resulted in a military confrontation. In October 1962, the U-2 surveillance photos expose the Soviet Union in the process of setting up nuclear missiles in Cuba, an immediate neighbor of the United States. The revelation causes a panic in the Kennedy administration because of the reality that these weapons had the ability to wipe out the southern and the eastern United States in minutes if launched. As a result, the Kennedy administration works around the clock to prevent the Soviet Union from setting up these missiles in Cuba. The Pentagon advises President Kennedy to invade Cuba, which he is reluctant. The president is reluctant because of an attack on Cuba would result in the Soviet Union retaliating through attacking Germany in Europe. However, through an ABC News reporter John Scali, the United States reaches a deal with the Soviet Union, which brings to an end the nuclear confrontation between the United States and Russia (Donaldson). The two key points in the film that correlate to the topics of Media and Politics and the issue of military conflict are the following. The first issue is visible in the Soviet Union emissary to the United States approaching John Scali to present a proposition to the Kennedy administration detailing the manner to end the conflict. The second issue is the decision by the Soviet Union to attempt to set up its nuclear missiles in Cuba (Donaldson). In the first instance of the Soviet Union emissary Aleksandr Fomin, played by Boris Lee Krutonog approaching the ABC News reporter, John Scali played by Jack Blessing, underscores the role of the media in political confrontations among different countries. This role is observable in the form of the impact of the mass media as well as the alliance between the media and the American government (Gitelson, Robert and Melvin 367). Aleksandr Fomin is aware of the tension between the United States and the Soviets Union; as a result, he opts to approach a neutral party with public interests in the conflict, which is the media through the ABC News reporter, John Scali. Through contacting the news reporter, Fomin is aware of the influence of the media on conflicts, hence, comprehends that President Kennedy will not ignore the proposition because of the aftermath reporting of the media if the crisis escalates. Through Scali assuming the role of being a bridge between the two conflicting parties, the effect of the media is visible through being an agent of setting the agenda for the Kennedy administration, based on the interest of the public. The interest of the public was to avoid confrontation that would result in a military conflict. In spite of the Fomin and Scali meeting being informal, the decision by Fomin to choose Scali is strategic because of his media connection. President Kennedy responds to this proposal by Fomin, which leads to the United States and the Soviet Union avoiding a military conflict. The second issue of the Soviet Union decision to establish its missile in Cuba relates to one of the challenges that the United States faces highlighted by William E. Hudson in the book American Democracy in Peril. The issue relates to the challenge of the topic of The National Security (Hudson 309). The American government, which is democratically elected, serves the role of protecting the interests of the American people and the United States. For this reason, the American government under the commander in chief can use either military force or diplomacy to pr...