Origins of the Cold War US and allies invaded Siberia during Russian Civil War 1918 1920 US USSR alliance during WWII but due to enemy of my enemy is supporting Czarist forces my friend logic Yalta Conference 1945 FDR Churchill and Stalin negotiated future of Eastern Europe Agreement to hold elections There were elections but not free fair ones Soviets influenced elections in countries they occupied in WWII producing closely allied satellite regimes US increased influence in Western Europe with Marshall Plan CIA influenced elections The Race for Arms and Allies April 1949 NATO charter signed US Canada W Europe April 1949 USSR tests 1st nuke May 1955 Warsaw Pact signed USSR E Europe Nuclear Stockpiles Other Arms Aircraft Carriers in 1970 US 18 USSR 2 Aircraft Carriers in 1980 US 20 USSR 4 Soviet Army 4 5 million throughout Cold War Competition in the Third World Decolonization began at end of WWII and was complete by early 1960s lots of new states up for grabs Many of these new states experienced civil wars with the US and USSR backing opposite sides Also had proxy interstate wars Provided weapons and training to allied regimes to improve their Soviet intervention in Hungary 1956 led to a shift from US rollback policy to containment Berline crisis 1961 became a symbol for US commitment to W Europe Ended with construction of wall stability Cold War Crises Cuban Missile Crisis US launched failed covert invasion of Cuba in 1961 Bay of Pigs placed nuclear missiles in Turkey USSR places nuclear missiles in Cuba in May 1962 US quarantined shipments to Cuba Soviets sent an empty tanker through the blockade but ships carrying military supplies turned around Kennedy and Krushchev negotiated a settlement with USSR withdrawing missiles from Cuba US withdrawing from Turkey D tente Both sides realized how close they had come to nuclear war wanted Nuclear hotline several arms control treaties A rift between USSR and China formed and US pursued economic to stabilize relations relations with China Tensions increased again briefly due to a proxy war in Afghanistan End of Cold War 1981 Solidarity movement in Poland challenged communist rule Gorbachev enacted economic reforms in USSR allowed private Political reform multicandidate but not multiparty elections ownership of business created legislature 1989 Communist rule ends in Poland most other satellites 1991 Soviet Union disbands Grand Theories of IR Goal create a theory that explains how everything in international politics works why wars happen how rising powers will behave how international law works trade strategy etc Theory can allow us to look over the shoulder of the statesman and understand his decisions better than he does Morgenthau Politics is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature In order to improve society it is first necessary to understand the laws by which society operates These are first and foremost academic theories aimed at explanation but they often produce policy prescriptions Realistic Thought in History Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 400 BC The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must Machiavelli 1513 Anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved Von Bismarck 19th c All treaties between great states cease to be binding when they come in conflict with the struggle for existence The Rise of Modern Realism Principles of Realism Idealism offered as solution to WWI But League of Nations was unable to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria 1931 or Italian invasion of Ethiopia 1935 Japan Italy and Germany eventually withdrew from the League Allies thought Munich Agreement 1938 which sought to appease Hitler by allowing Germany to annex Czechoslovakia would prevent further territorial expansion Carr Niebuhr and Morgenthau argued for a more realistic theory Humans neither evil nor good by nature just self interested This translates to states who will act only in their self interest States are the only actors that matter in IR International institutions weak and alliances easily broken so maintaining security is a self help problem So how to ensure security unilaterally Power Decisions about power occur in a vacuum economics morality ideology personality etc have no influence Not immoral just amoral Power is relative and thus zero sum so international politics has a fundamental conflict of interest Alliances are not permanent but they can be used to balance power if your neighbor gains power get an ally If everyone does this war becomes difficult to win and therefore less likely Fail to do these things and you will likely be conquered Napoleonic France s increase in power was not properly checked and they nearly conquered the continent Congress of Vienna 1815 created forum for meetings of great powers Britain Austria Prussia Russia later France Buffer states between great powers Britain maintained balance of power by shifting alliances opposed Russia in Crimean War in part to prevent them from increasing power by seizing Ottoman territory Later aligned with Russia to counter rise of Germany Concert of Europe no wars involving all 5 powers in the 19th century wars small limited compared to World Wars The Balance of Power System in 19th century Europe Other Realist Policies causalities Carpet bombing other tactics that don t pay much regard to civilian Nuclear deterrence No interventions in foreign politics unless there is self interest due Economic policies that benefit established powers more than rising to potential instability powers Maintaining military strength even during peacetime Liberalism Domestic Politics Like realism assumes that states act in their own interest preference But much more flexible about what those interests could be Foreign policy works the same way as other policy areas interest groups competing to control state policy We need to know about domestic political institutions to understand what a state s preferences will be Liberalism International Institutions Much like idealism very focused on improving intuitions Belief that cooperation and peace is in everyone s interest just need to overcome a few barriers Game theory very influential