R.M.S Lusitania Disaster vs 9/11 Disaster (Term Paper Sample)

R.M.S Lusitania Disaster vs 9/11 Disaster
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Disasters have substantial psychological implications on survivors, their families, and the larger public fraternity. In the duration of a disaster, there are various psychological health issues that require intervention to restore emotional wellbeing after tragedies. Disasters of great magnitude attract extensive media coverage and create lasting reminders of the psychological trauma. The Lusitania and 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred in different centuries and inquiry into the public reaction is necessary. The public’s perception significantly influenced their psychological response.
Terrorism assumed a central position in Americans security affairs after the 2001 terrorist attack. Terrorists affiliated to the Al-Qaida hijacked a plane and launched attacks on the world trade center. It stands as the most catastrophic terrorist attack in US history, and it resulted to even greater awareness of a myriad of other terror attacks such a nuclear agents. There were behavioral responses such as an upsurge in driving as opposed to taking flights. Many Americans lost confidence in the governments’ capacity to protect citizens. Many worried about becoming personal victims of an attack and others showed support for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s new mandate of investigating threats without regard about intrusion into personal privacy (McArdle, Rossof, & John, 2012).
Many Americans experienced a sense of loss of personal safety and security after the terrorist attack. Terrorists target vulnerable civilians in a bid to create an atmosphere of terror. This caused the public to exaggerate the terrorists’ strength. The public feared the possibility of other attacks of greater or similar magnitude. There was fear of an impending indiscriminate nuclear terrorism attack. Americans deserted busy streets in the days following the attack. Military personnel patrolled the streets, and it served to heighten the sense of insecurity similar to world war days. The emotional implications of the attack were particularly severe for eyewitnesses and those that lost their loved ones. Residents in New York and Washington DC are reported to have experienced a general upsurge in psychological distress (Bulkeley & Kahan, 2008).
Amidst the widespread fear, Americans had a strong sense of resilience and strength in the unity of the American nation. Americans developed cohesion in the spirit and hope of overcoming the tragedy. The spirit of togetherness was particularly felt through the sacrificial acts of compassion that showed love for mankind particularly by first responders that offered other forms of assistance such as blood donation. It also provoked the governments’ overreaction to invest massive resources in security as a way of maintaining public confidence (Jenkins & Godges, 2011). Congress enacted the Homeland Security Act that was mandated to ensure adequate coverage of border points. The department of homeland security (DHS) also received mandate over continuing preventative measures. Reports show that the DHS funding allocation grew from $42.4 billion to $56.3 billion in 8 years. Its funding also focused more on terrorism at the expense of other areas (McArdle, Rossof, & John, 2012).
The Lusitania tragedy struck in 1915 just three years after the catastrophic titanic tragedy although the cause was not natural, but it was a terrorist attack. Germany’s U-20 shot at the RMS Lusitania and killed about 1200 people aboard the liner. It sank in a record eighteen minutes. The newspapers covered the disaster through pages showing burials and covering prominent deceased personalities. The coverage aroused elevated feelings of sorrow, heroism, consolation and anger in the public (The Library of Congress, 2014). Peoples’ reaction to the attack was not influenced by the live coverage of the disaster. Rather, 9/11 attacks occurred in the very eyes of the nation through live television and rerun coverage. It explains why 9/11 sparked strong emotional feelings and a spirit of cohesion that was not the case after the Lusitania attack.
The Lusitania attack provoked major propaganda characterized by increased poor radio warnings about illegal munitions. Germany insisted that the vessel was a legitimate target because it was transporting munitions. The British insisted that the attack was an act of piracy. This is contrary to the 9/11 response where there was no room for propaganda. It was clear that the Al-Qaida were responsible for the attack for no legitimate reason. The attack only increased citizens’ desire for the government to fight terrorism and to boost security in the nation. The Lusitania attack provoked immediate public opinions about going into war with Germany. The public did not push for military action after 9/11. On the contrary, President Bush pushed the decision to wage war against Iraq amidst opposition from the public. In 1915, President Wilson had to postpone calls from the public about waging war against Germany until it was inevitable.
The Lusitania disaster killed one hundred and twenty-eight Americans, a fact that greatly enraged former president Roosevelt. Roosevelt was opposed to President Wilson’s diplomatic approach in requiring Germany to compensate the US for the attack. Roosevelt advocated the US to launch military action against Germany. Amidst substantial fury from all over the country, Wilson insisted that the country was not adequately prepared for war. Public outrage charged the public opinion atmosphere and eventually pushed America to join the war against Germany two years after the disaster. The attack did not immediately result in America’s military pursuit although it set its intention in motion. It became inevitable for the US to enter into war after Germany broke its commitment to attacking ships. The US was also repulsed over the unnecessary loss of life that provoked the nation in psychological terms and put it on a path to intervene in Europe (Protasio, 2011). In comparison to 9/11, Lusitania had lower emotional and behavioral response to the disaster. 9/11 resulted into emotional distress, fear and concern about the government’s capacity to offer security. In contrast, Lusitania’s aftermath generated sorrow and desire for retaliation among the general public. However, it is worth acknowledging that survivors had a harrowing experience that was psychologically challenging.
The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) concept in psychology of disaster is applicable to both disasters. PTSD describes the extent to which victims suffer mood-altering experiences such as depression, memory lapses and nightmares among other symptoms. A study following the 9/11 attack indicated that citizens experienced a change in the content of their dreams that incorporated the appearance of soldiers, bombs, planes crashing into building, fires and planes being hijacked. They experienced recurrent nightmares revolving around the horrific themes in reference to the terrorist attack (Bulkeley & Kahan, 2008).
It is important to apply the concept in diagnosing survivors’ problems and customizing interventions to their specific problems. The symptoms always leave traces of psychosocial impairment and the symptoms last for a minimum of 30 days. Females are more vulnerable than males, and they experience unwanted memories that are triggered through reminders. Survivors’ PTSD problems require timely intervention particularly during the first month when the traumatic shock and stress disorder sets in (Cukor, Spitalnick, Difede, Rizzo, & Rothbaum, 2009).
Another psychology of disaster concept applicable to the public reaction to the two disasters is the phases of recovery theory. One of the highlights of Lusitania’s recovery process is the public opinions’ need to get even through launching military action to deter Germany from perpetuating further attacks and to reduce the fear that other American’s would succumb to other similar attacks. At a personal level, the survivors and their families required to come to terms with the tragedy through three phases. The recovery phases also applied to the survivor...