POLS2409 Lecture 5: POLS2409 Lecture 5
Lecture 5 - Liberal Peace - The Cold War
after WW2, Europe left in ruins
Power shifted to US and Russia
detonation of first atomic bomb in new mexico - trinity tests = entrance into nuclear age
age where any great power conflict can escalate into nuclear conflict
int system in which both ideological + geopolitical rivalries between US and Russia
could escalate easily
cold war = series of small flash points
Africa and Asia newly independent - proxy wars
Origins
remember: SU suffered second biggest loss in WW2 when looking at proportions of
populations
Disparity between sacrifice between western allies and soviet union frames debates
around origins
USA only country to emerge from WW2 in economically strengthened position
50% of global economy
Overwhelming power disparity
SU has history of invasion from the West
The Balance of Power in 1945
The Rise of the Superpowers
new term in 1944
initially: UK, SU, US
but really: SU and US
Shift from previous multipolar order (at least within European context)
Pyrrhic Victory - The Weakened European Powers
France: four years of Nazi occupation
Britain: managed to avoid being invaded by Nazi Germany
*struggling financially*
= lack of foundation for int military power
the capacity of former powers to maintain credibility as global powers had been
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significantly weakened
Unconditional Surrender
The Axis Powers under the Shadow of Total Defeat
Germany: radically different end to WW2 in comparison to the first
Japan: US willing to allow Emperor Hirohito to remain on the throne (General
MacArthur saw the Emperor as a possible unifying force in defeated and potentially
chaotic post-War Japan)
Grand Alliance of WW2 ideologically divided
Weakened European Imperialism & Asian Power Vacuum
Significance of the fall of Singapore, Feb 1942
Signals end of imperialism in asia
despite loss of colonials territories during the War, European powers are largely
expecting to resume control post-war
but, devastation of Europe leads to a power vacuum in those states that had been
European colonies and those where Europes colonial grasp continued but was
weakened
Division of Germany, 1945
Rapidly divided into different administration areas
Between US, Britain, France, Soviet Union
Lack of coherent plan
Challenges of the Post-War Peace
The German Problem Again
how to respond to Germany after the end of WW2?
need for territorial adjustments
partition germany between the powers, or dissolve Germany entirely?
respond to the German diaspora population - volksdeutsch
Address Germanys central economic position in Europe
How to ensure German economic power is restored, but do so in a way that prevents
Germany from launching a bid for continental supremacy?
The Eastern Problem
how to manage the weak and failing states in Eastern and South-astern Europe?
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e.g. Greece
Axis occupation (from 1941)
Greek civil war (1944-45 & 46-49
Western concerns over Russian predation towards the fragile states in the former
Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires
China & East Asia
Chiang Kai Sheks nationalists bore the brunt of the military fight against Japan in
WW2
Civil War in China between nationalists and Mao zedongs communists reignites in
1946
Assumption that China will play a major role in keeping peace in Asia
China as one of the Four Policemen in Asia (with UK, US and SU)
how to respond to Japan?
huge instability in Asia post WW2
SU in financial position to provide aid to Mao Zedongs communists
The Systemic Challenge
collective security
catastrophic failure of League
Economic reconstruction
economic prosperity + links between economic depression and political extremism
protection of human rights
atrocities committed during the war
Strategic Interests of the Victors
The USA
the need to preserve a favourable balance of power
SU as ideological threat to lib internationalism
SU as military threat to US
Therefore, SU as primary threat within the int system
project of Lib internationalism renewed
int economic openness
rule of int law
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Lecture 5 - liberal peace - the cold war after ww2, europe left in ruins. Africa and asia newly independent - proxy wars. Origins remember: su suffered second biggest loss in ww2 when looking at proportions of populations. Disparity between sacrifice between western allies and soviet union frames debates around origins. Usa only country to emerge from ww2 in economically strengthened position. Su has history of invasion from the west. The rise of the superpowers new term in 1944 initially: uk, su, us but really: su and us. Shift from previous multipolar order (at least within european context) Britain: managed to avoid being invaded by nazi germany. = lack of foundation for int military power the capacity of former powers to maintain credibility as global powers had been significantly weakened. The axis powers under the shadow of total defeat. Germany: radically different end to ww2 in comparison to the first.
