While comparing the 9/11 attacks that occurred in 2001 and the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 there are many insights on the nature, impact, and country response to these significant attacks. The 9/11 attacks were hijackings that occurred to four commercial airplanes by terrorists that were associated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda. This attack targeted significant areas of American power including the Pentagon and World Trade Center. The result of this attack included nearly 3,000 deaths and extensive damage to the surrounding areas. In contrast, the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 involved two brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev who created two pressure cooker bombs that were detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. An article explains the reason this location/event was chosen for this attack by stating, “terrorists often plan their actions in order to obtain widespread media coverage, as in the case of the 2013 Boston marathon,” (Clark et al., 2020). The casualties of this attack were significantly less than those of the 9/11 attack with three deaths and over 260 injuries. The attack on 9/11 overall prompted significant change in the U.S national security policy, which established the Department of Homeland Security. Ultimately, this attack led the U.S to launch the War on Terror and included military operations to go to Afghanistan and later Iraq. The impact the Boston bombing had was it promoted increased and coordinated public law enforcement response, as well as increased security measures at public events. The attacks on 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing were both significant acts of terrorism in the United States, but differed in the scale, scope, and impacts made to the nation.
Since the 9/11 attacks, American society has changed in many way including government, workplace, and society as a whole. This attacks caused many Americans to worry, as explained as, “The events set in motion by the September 11 attacks would raise fundamental questions about the United States’ role in the world, the extent to which privacy should be protected at the cost of security, the definition of exactly who is an American, and the cost of liberty.” (Corbett et al., 2023). Extensive security measures have now been put in place with the USA PATRIOT Act expanding government surveillance powers to prevent terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security was created in 2002 which coordinated national efforts against terrorism by enhancing security across borders and within the country. This also prompted foreign policy shifts, including preemptive military action and increased involvement in counter terrorism efforts. 9/11 also heightened workplace security protocols, affecting access control and employee screenings. Finance and aviation faced increased security and regulations costs due to this event, which influenced economic performance and operational practices. Workplaces also focused more on creating concrete disaster and emergency plans in reaction to this significant terrorist event. In society, the attacks created a wave of patriotism and national unity while also heightening suspicion and fear towards minority groups such as Muslims and foreigners. Privacy rights and government oversight were highly debated after this, as there was increased surveillance and security measures put in place and many citizens were questioning their civil liberties versus national security.
References:
Clark, A. E., Doyle, O., & Stancanelli, E. (2020). The Impact of Terrorism on Individual Well-Being: Evidence from the Boston Marathon Bombing. The Economic Journal (London), 130(631), 2065–2104. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/ueaa053Links to an external site.
Corbett, P. S., Janssen, V., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T., Vickery, P., & Waskiewicz, S. (2023, July 6). U.S. History. OpenStax, OER Commons. Retrieved January 2, 2024, from https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history
