- Who held power at the beginning of the 20th Century?
The European Empires.
Power was held by the “Concert of Europe” (Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia)1. They operated on a “balance of power” system where stability came from equilibrium between states, not international law2.
- What was the “European Rule” of diplomacy?
Raison d’état (National Interest).
European states acted based on national interest, viewing the world as a “cold-blooded game of power politics”3. A “loaded gun” was seen as more potent than a legal brief4.
- What major event shattered the old European order?
World War I and World War II.
WWI shattered the European balance of power5. By the end of WWII (1945), Europe was in ruins, and the U.S. emerged as the dominant power, holding 35% of the world’s economic production6.
- How did the U.S. approach differ from Europe’s?
Wilsonianism (Values-based).
Unlike Europe’s “balance of power,” the U.S. (led by Woodrow Wilson) sought a world order based on “collective security,” “ethnic self-determination,” and international law7777.
- When did power stop being only about armies?
The Post-Cold War Era.
After the Cold War ended, military force became less relevant to daily issues8. The world moved away from simple military domination toward economic competition and interdependence9.
- Why is the U.S. less able to “dictate” global affairs today?
Power has become “Diffuse”.
Even though the U.S. is the only superpower 10, power is now shared with other centers (Europe, China, Japan) and relies on economic/institutional cooperation111111. The U.S. cannot simply impose its will unilaterally12.
- What replaced “Containment” as the new challenge?
Managing Interdependence & Globalization.
Instead of just containing a military enemy (like the USSR), nations now face global issues like “nuclear proliferation, the environment, and the population explosion” which require cooperation, not just force13.
- What is the “New World Order” composed of?
A mix of Power & Values.
It resembles the 18th/19th-century state system (many powers like China, India, Europe balancing each other) 14but operates in a globalized economy where communications are instantaneous15.
- How would Nye explain the shift from 1900 to 1945?
“Power Transition”
This is the shift of hegemonic power from the declining European Empires (specifically Britain) to the rising United States. (Kissinger describes this as the U.S. replacing the European balance of power with American Wilsonianism 16161616).
- How would Nye explain the shift from 1990 to Today?
“Power Diffusion”
This is the shift where power spreads out. It is no longer just “unipolar” (one superpower); it is distributed among many players (states, economies, institutions). Kissinger calls this a world where “power has become more diffuse”17.
What were Stalin’s two main historical fears that shaped his postwar vision?
- Western invasions (Napoleon 1812, WWI, Allied intervention 1918–20).
- Capitalist encirclement and betrayal (e.g., Hitler’s 1941 invasion, delayed second front).
How did Stalin define “peace” after losing ~20 million Soviets in WWII?
Peace = territorial security, buffer states, and Soviet-controlled governments in Eastern Europe to prevent future invasions.
What territorial gains did Stalin insist on after WWII?
- Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
- Eastern Poland up to Curzon Line
- Bessarabia (from Romania)
- Parts of Finland and Karelia
What was Stalin’s policy for Eastern European countries after Red Army occupation?
Impose communist governments loyal to Moscow. “Whoever occupies a territory imposes his own system.” — Stalin to Djilas.
How did Stalin view Germany in the postwar world?
Germany must be weakened, divided, and stripped of industrial capacity to pay reparations and prevent rearmament.
What was Roosevelt’s postwar vision called, and what did it propose?
“Four Policemen” — USA, USSR, UK, China would enforce global peace through the UN, based on collective security and cooperation.
How did Roosevelt’s view differ from Stalin’s on spheres of influence?
Roosevelt rejected spheres of influence and balance of power; believed in universal peace through great-power unity. Stalin saw spheres as essential for security. Roosevelt rejected spheres of influence and balance of power; believed in universal peace through great-power unity. Stalin saw spheres as essential for security.
What was Churchill’s main postwar goal for Europe?
Restore a balance of power by rebuilding France and Germany as counterweights to the USSR, and maintain British influence. Restore a balance of power by rebuilding France and Germany as counterweights to the USSR, and maintain British influence.
What did Churchill propose in his “percentages agreement” with Stalin in 1944?
Divide Eastern Europe into spheres of influence using percentages (e.g., USSR 90% in Romania, UK 90% in Greece).
How did Stalin’s wartime strategy reflect his postwar aims?
He delayed political talks until the Red Army occupied Eastern Europe, creating facts on the ground that determined postwar borders.
Why did Stalin want a second front in France, not the Balkans?
To keep Western armies away from Eastern Europe, where he planned to establish Soviet control.
How did Stalin interpret the “free elections” promised at Yalta?
As Soviet-style elections with communist control—not Western-style democracy—since the Red Army would oversee them.
What did Stalin demand in Asia at Yalta, and why?
Return of southern Sakhalin, Kurile Islands, ports in Manchuria—to regain tsarist-era privileges and secure the Far East.
How did Roosevelt’s and Churchill’s views on colonialism differ from Stalin’s?
Roosevelt opposed colonialism; Churchill wanted to preserve the British Empire; Stalin was indifferent to colonies, focused on contiguous land control.
