POLS1005 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Warsaw Pact, Bandwagoning, 1982 World Men'S Handball Championship
[Lecture 5]
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND WAR
ALLIANCES
• States commit to security alliances when states have compatible interests in military
cooperation
• Alliances can change bargaining dynamics
Types of alliances:
• Alliance types defined by power distribution:
- Bilateral or between several states (e.g. NATO)
- Asymmetrical – a powerful state commits to defending a weaker state (e.g. US and
South Korea)
• Alliance types according to promise response
- Offensive – State A will come to State B’s aid if State B starts a war
- Defensive – State A will come to State B’s aid if State B is attacked
Alliances are costly:
• States commit to the expense of blood and treasure to defend another state
• They must be upheld in order to be credible, even if defeat is likely
• Alliances limit freedom because discussions will allies are necessary before taking actions or
making decisions
• An emboldened ally may entrap protector in conflict
Why form alliances?
• Weak state may gain protection from powerful rivals
• Strong state may signal its resolve to defend weak state
• Combining resources may economise, allowing for a greater (and more effective) defence
• They can temper existing conflicts (e.g. Greece and Turkey in NATO)
• They can formalize a sphere of influence (e.g. the Warsaw Pact)
Alliances and the balance of power
• Balancing results in roughly equal blocs
- Small states seek to avoid domination by alliance leader
- Alliance with strong state threatens state freedom
• Balancing does not explain all alliance formation
- Powerful states do not always generate opposing alliances
• Other explanations:
- Bandwagoning – when states join winning side – e.g. Italy in 1943 during WW2
- Affinity – shared culture, ideology, or religion
European Alliances – 1871 – 1939
find more resources at oneclass.com
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• Toward the end of the 19th century, Germany, emerged as a single power
• Early 20th century, states formed competing alliance in response to this rising German power
• The alliance pattern contributed to the outbreak of WWI:
- Small conflicts escalated
- Alliances created incentives for preventive war
- Major powers became dependent allies
- The larger number of states increased the chances of miscalculation
• The interwar period posed similar
problems
Major European Powers in 1914 →
Alliances also did not prevent WWII
• Britain did not support France when
Germany challenged the harsh peace of
the Treaty of Versailles
• French alliances with Eastern Europe
lacked credibility (due to distance)
• Britain, France, and the Society Union did not form an alliance against Germany
• The Soviet/Germany 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop divided Poland
• Soviets jumped on the German bandwagon
• In August 1939, Britain formed a defensive alliance with Poland:
- One month later, Germany invaded Poland
- Britain stepped in to defend its ally, and WW2 began
NATO’s Membership
• Created in 1949 – to include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK, USA
• Expanded several times to its current 28 member states:
- 1952: Greece and Turkey
- 1955: West Germany
- 1982: Spain
- 1999 Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
- 2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
- 2009: Albania & Croatia
Warsaw Pact
• Formed in 1955 after West Germany was admitted into NATO
Australia’s Alliances
• 1951 – Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty
- NZ withdrawn in 1986 after declaring NZ a nuclear-free zone
- NZ and Australia formed alternate arrangement
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Alliances: states commit to security alliances when states have compatible interests in military cooperation, alliances can change bargaining dynamics. Types of alliances: alliance types defined by power distribution: Bilateral or between several states (e. g. nato) Asymmetrical a powerful state commits to defending a weaker state (e. g. us and. South korea: alliance types according to promise response. Offensive state a will come to state b"s aid if state b starts a war. Defensive state a will come to state b"s aid if state b is attacked. Alliances and the balance of power: balancing results in roughly equal blocs. Small states seek to avoid domination by alliance leader. Alliance with strong state threatens state freedom: balancing does not explain all alliance formation. Powerful states do not always generate opposing alliances: other explanations: Bandwagoning when states join winning side e. g. italy in 1943 during ww2. Affinity shared culture, ideology, or religion.
