POL208Y1 Lecture Notes - Lewis Carroll, Counterfactual Conditional, War Studies
Document Summary
July 1st 1916: 2 huge explosions under german trenches, by end of the day 19 000 + british soldiers dead, 50 000 + casualties. 4 months after battle of sommes: 600 000+ french and british men dead, +450 000 german casualties. From the ashes arise war studies and later become international relations . Wwii proved studies didn"t work, ir has still not solved problem of war, if a solution is possible. Many philosophers beforehand have studied war (machiavelli, kant, hobbes) History: can be treated as a laboratory, far from perfect, approximation. Russett, starr & kinsella: individual, decision makers, government structure, society, international relations, world system. U. s. a. is a presidential democracy (not tolerant towards high casualties) Interaction between japan and u. s. a. (japan didn"t even declare war) Decision directed at soviet union (opportunity for u. s. a. to demonstrate power) Bi-polar system: soviet union on one side, usa on other, every other country divided: zero- sum game.
