The Boy Scouts of America: The Cold Warriors of Tomorrow

Abstract

The Boy Scouts of America played a pivotal role in late American history. Since their formation in 1910, the organization's mission has always been to equip young men with the skills and resources necessary for navigating life's challenges. Because of this, their ideals of morality and character development proved to be a successful paradigm during the Cold War. From the threat of communist brainwashing to the possibility of nuclear fallout, the Boy Scouts of America's ideals became a necessary defense against foreign threats. Political leaders, intellectuals, civilians-the American population at large-all gravitated to the ideals of the Boy Scouts organization, which aided in unifying the nation's identity. This paper will shine light on the strides made by the Boy Scouts of America and how it functioned to produce morally correct citizens as well as its involvement in the nation's plight to fend off foreign threats during the Cold War era.