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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, From 1945 to 1991, the world witnessed a military, |
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economic, and ideological confrontation known as the Cold War; |
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waged most prominently by the United States and the Soviet Union, |
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the struggle involved almost every nation on earth to some degree |
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and had a profound impact on the course of world history over the |
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latter half of the 20th century; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the Cold War never erupted into a |
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full-scale armed conflict between the world's superpowers, it gave |
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impetus to a number of localized hot wars, as well as to a massive, |
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long-term arms race; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout the Cold War, the State of Texas played a |
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significant role in this country's military preparedness by |
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contributing personnel to the armed forces, serving as the site of |
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important military facilities, and providing material support by |
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way of private industry; and |
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WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of Texans served in the military |
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during the course of the Cold War, and many made the ultimate |
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sacrifice; the loss of Texans in Korea from 1950 to 1957 numbered |
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1,719, and in Vietnam, 3,415; and |
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WHEREAS, The state currently has 16 military installations |
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that figured notably in the country's defense system during the |
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period of the Cold War; moreover, Texas was home to Nike and Atlas |
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Ballistic Missile silos, as well as to Strategic Air Command units |
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at Biggs, Carswell, Sheppard, Dyess, Amarillo, and Bergstrom Air |
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Force Bases; other air force bases located in the state during that |
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time included Brooks, Goodfellow, Kelly, Lackland, Laredo, |
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Laughlin, Randolph, Reese, and Webb; and |
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WHEREAS, All 15 of those air force facilities constituted |
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first-strike targets for the Soviet military; secondary targets in |
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Texas included Beeville, Corpus Christi, Kingsville, |
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Sherman-Denison, Texarkana, Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, and the Houston |
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petrochemical complex; and |
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WHEREAS, Many industrial enterprises in Texas made vital |
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contributions during the Cold War years; the state's oil industry |
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had a major role in supplying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, |
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while a number of key defense contractors were either based in Texas |
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or had large Texas operations; among such companies were Texas |
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Instruments, Lockheed, EDS, Bell Helicopter, and Textron; and |
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WHEREAS, One dimension of the Cold War involved a race for |
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leadership in space exploration; crucial to American efforts in |
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this arena was the Johnson Space Center in Houston, the National |
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Aeronautics and Space Administration headquarters for manned |
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spaceflight; and |
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WHEREAS, Eight successive American presidents grappled with |
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the challenges of the Cold War; two of these--Dwight D. Eisenhower |
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and Lyndon B. Johnson--were born in Texas and led the nation during |
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the Korean War and Vietnam War, respectively; and |
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WHEREAS, Military veterans of the Cold War have continued to |
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contribute to this country as private citizens and as public |
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servants; a number of them have been elected to leadership posts at |
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both the state and national levels; and |
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WHEREAS, It is essential that the history of the Cold War |
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decades be preserved, for the events of that time touched the lives |
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of millions of people and helped to set the stage for the 21st |
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century; in reflecting on that long and difficult confrontation, it |
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is also fitting that tribute be paid to the men and women of the |
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United States armed forces, who served selflessly and heroically in |
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that epic struggle; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize May 1, 2007, as Cold War Victory Day |
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and extend to all Cold War veterans of the American military sincere |
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appreciation for their exemplary service; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor |
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of Cold War veterans. |
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