Neoconservatism is one legacy of the Cold War Era. Neoconservatives came from the ranks of liberals and socialists in the New Deal coalition, staunch anticommunists. These progressives became disillusioned with the welfare programs of the 1960s. They crossed over to the Republican Party in
the 1980s, backing Ronald Reagan's stand against the U.S.S.R. The essays below, general topics on the Cold War Era, point to three principles of
contemporary neoconservatism: Strident opposition to totalitarianism, whether in the form of communism or the newly emerging terrorist states, dissatisfaction with modern liberalism, and advocacy of a strong military to protect American
democracy at home and abroad.