The 1960s were a time of war and fear for the United States and many people aimed their accusations at the government. “Masters of War” was written by Bob Dylan in late 1962 and early 1963. The focus of this song is a protest against the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis that was occurring in the early 1960s. 60. The song protests the fact that the American government makes its citizens live in fear of constant attack and hide behind their veil, indifferent to whatever may happen to the people. He shook the nation with his ferocious and angry tone against the “military industrial complex”. Dylan's lyrics stated that it could not be contained by declaring a needless war and not taking responsibility for the problems it was causing. “Masters of War” is a powerful song against the government and the army. Bob Dylan's protest song “Masters of War” highlights how the looming Cold War affected the people of the United States and demonstrates Dylan's point about the governments involved. The 1960s were a decade of war for the United States government. From the Cold War with the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Vietnam War riots, the US government has something to keep itself busy with (“Cold War”). In the 1960s politics was something in the air for the United States. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major factor in the politics of this time period. Many decisions were made that kept both the Americans and the Soviets on their toes. Bob Dylan composed the song in late 1962 and early 1963, when the greatest fear came from the Cold War. As the missiles got closer, tensions increased, which eventually led the Soviets to a compromise to remove the missiles from Cuba if the United States re...... middle of paper ...... E The Cold War: The United States and the Soviet Union, 1917-1991. New York: Oxford UP, 1998. Print. "The Museum of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Bob Dylan. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Web. December 04, 2013.Rogovoy, Seth. Bob Dylan: prophet, mystic, poet. New York: Scribner, 2009. Print.Ruehl, Kim. "Bob Dylan." About.com Popular music. About.com and Web. December 2, 2013.Stephan, ed. "Biography." IMDb. IMDb.com and Web. 04 December 2013.Stern, Sheldon M. The Cuban Missile Crisis in American Memory: Myths vs. Reality. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ., 2012. Print.Taubman, William. Stalin's American policy: from the Entente to Détente to the Cold War. New York: Norton, 1982. Print.Wyman, Bill. "Knock, knock, knock on the Nobel door." The New York Times. New York Times, September 28, 2013. Web. November 19, 2013. The '60s." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. December 6. 2013.