1 Introduction: The Geopolities of History “Geopolitics” isa mucvoverused term, Writers, observers, snd procttiners of Intemational polities frequently invoke the tr (0 Assert, expsia, or analy specific foreign policy ines sed prob Jems Sich overs ignores the fat tat geopoites ata method of smalyzing imernaionalrelaons has a isiory that icles a com- toa voceuluy, wellesublobed if smetas contin concept, ‘mn esabished body of thought, anda eeogived group of thease "The gol ofthis Bok sw peseat sain aspects of the histoey of ecopoiical thought and to apply easisl geopolitical analysis to ect, And cute trata elation ride of lace given {othe geopolitical Meas and theories of Halford Mactindr, Aled Trap Nn Nia Syms, ad nes Bun Te ans” comblaed brillant analyses of past events with remark thle pedisions of future developments. Mackinde, or expe, forest in the early 1920s, and spin in 194 he emergence ofthe North Atte Alliance tat was founded in 1989, umfam i the 1c 1940s and early 1980s proposed a suatgy 0 undermine Soviet, poner in Cena and Essern Europe that forestadowed the se Eeseul policies of the Reagan administration in the 1980s The én ofthe Cald Wer resulted i hopes for a “sew world oe. ee" and precios that economies, a Edward Lata pi “geoeconomis” would replace geopotics asthe diving force in International plies. Eveass soon proved that geograghy ail mat tes that ats sil stupa for power and testo, tat military over sill ups economics (at Fastin the shor rua: har we ae os, contrary to Francis Fukuyama, at “ihe end of bistry™ "The Cold War was atthe eo f istry rater the mor ‘cent collision tetwesn potentially hegemonis power an cosl-tin of sates opposed to that pouers bid for global negemony. Be fove the Soviet Unio, there was He's Germany alieg to Impedl Japan Before Hides Germany and Japan thee was Wilh I's ‘Germany and Austla-angary. Before Geonany and Austin Hun iy there ras Napoleon's France. Refore Napaleon there was the ‘France of Lois XIV. Before Lous XIV there ws the Ausvian aad Spanish Hapsborgs. Each bid for hegemony was countered by 4 Conlon of ets determined Yo feu uptoid the falnce of power “Thee is no reason 1 believe tat the eventy-rstceauy wll be any diferent Thre ae unisakable sigs hat Chia i ate ay ‘tages of a bd wo become the dominant power inthe Avia-Pacifc ‘epion and tayond. This potential test tat the Unita Sats ignores at its poi. With Russa cunenly undergoing another "ime of troubles” and Europe dominated by peaceful democracies, the Weel’ focus bas sited 1o Cenval Asa, Southwest As, Ean Ai, {nd tbe Pacific Rin. Due to any fcr, nladng the break-op of ihe Soviet Epi, large supplies ofl and ntl ga i the Caspian Sea region, tbe micear dimension to te India-Pakistan cfc. ad the rise of China ths huge region as once apain become what ‘Altre Ther Makan called te "debutabl and debated ground Rossa, Tukey, Han, India, Pakistan, China Japa, the Kors ad ‘he United Saas have interests ht cog none ot more arse of this region, Previous global or regional power struggles involved bales on anya se and a the sie The twenty fist ceniy's sagas will likely involve effort to gain contl of outer space ofa east 10 deny o ters te use of outer space. Anisaelite weapons, space based ass, ballistic missle dteses, an oil space sation te longer the stu of sence Rion, The impact of technology ill {oreo satesten to enlarge tsi gopoliical ison, ‘Geopoies i aboot perspective, ti about Now One views the sword elementary and high School geograghy classes, we were {aught the weed composed of seven emtnets (Buope Asa ‘Aiea, North America, South America, Austala, and Antaris) and four eceans (Alani, Pc, Indian, and Aci). Viewed goo: policy, however, the world i compored of one arestcostient, Enrasia- Afi, many smaller sland, and one great ean, Ths di incon between googrsphy and geopolitics import fot tly nd practice of international relations Knowledge of geography is eseaial to gepotitcal analy CGeopoites abou the ileracon among sates aod empires In @ particular geographical setting. Throughout sor geography has been the sage on which nations and empires ave collided. Geogr ply isthe moet fondametal factor in nteraional plies becuase {his the mos: permanent. The ography of sate— postion a 8 tsopraptical gon ad in tho word a8 a whole—presnts por ies fo, and imspones iatos on, teste. For hat reason, gr raphy also conditions the perspectives of tts leaders or ers nd, thereby affects their deisio-maing in mates of foreign poli Throughout history, geography bas influenced the geopolitical covenation of cours inthe etecton of either Ind power or Sea omer. An isan or islnd lean wil Hey orient county 19 fhe sea, whereas a continental location wil ely ele: a country toward land. Some countries re laced er conics Bu ave Fay ‘ese to the ccea, asain ht ean rev in» Seo land vi inion, Theses o land orleatation of county #5 at necessarily Shvoite, A sea-vented country may be ale lo projet power of Tand, anda fand-oneted country may take tothe set. When hat Isppent, at hen Wiltelmine Germany sought 1 sen power the ealy 1900s, conflict ote estes “The set ie of cout isa important for inthe ele itean play In sernatona pli, Jn cen oes, the dominant 20090" [ial players were the Sovec Union andthe United Stas, two con Aienis-sied ints. But he sae of «county alone i incest to varintee geopolitics! sgrficance. Brel, Areata, and Aust fe large countries tha, By themselves, tave aver payed sign at ole in ori polities The mich smaller cous of England fd Japan, measwlile, have ruled get epic, “Geogr poson—where a conty i Fosse reasive fo her counetis more imporant Ua siz. The stody of worl sory Shows, for example that couies lost wholly or mostly fn the [Nore Heminphere have had the geaest impact 98 wold pol tis, Until the tmentith centry, world pies was dominated by ‘countries located on Eiasia ofsore sands, and Ati, north ‘tte Sere. For may cemaris, tbe Weer and Southern Het heres were litle more than the objects of Eurasian colonial pos tts, The United States i the only Wester Hemispheric county 19 realy impact global polis.6 Gear ther factors that atleet a county’ sity t play sgnicant tole the world stage include population, economics, technology. military power, and character of government. Those factor, bow” ernie geography, are subject Io change overtime, Geoerpay is consant, though is impact can change. Teshaclogisl and sce tite advances can alter the effects ofcstance, topography, aod i mate, The protection sforded the Unied Stats by the Allan and Pife Oceans, for example, has lascned over tine with the devel ‘opment offs Ships and submarines, ailanes and jet aa ne ‘hntnetal ali miss "ACIS mest fundamental level, iotratons pls is aboot she strugle for space and power. Throughout hstey, nations and en lses have sougint fo expand thee trory and ther influence over ther counties and peoples. History recon these an fall f em Dires and whole civilization, most compellingly catalogued by ‘Amol J. Toynbee in his tselve-volume 4 Study of History. Toynbee ued that evilzationsrge and fll due othe dialectic of *cha- lenge and response" In iaterrtinal politics, challenges have fre {quem taken the form of sxing powers that ype or theese fo upset th existing balance of power Alte the Noplconie Wars the Uiplomasy of the Congress of Vienna resulted io what Henry Kissinger called "a world restored"—an international sctue oF system that lasted onl the Fist Word Wat, The challenge fo the “Srctre of peace” establsed bythe Congres of Vienna emerzed Jn 1871 with he nse of Garmary to a dominant poson lathe en ter of Europe. Today, the nteratonal sytem etaed by te end oF the Cold Wari being challenged by the nse of China inthe Fast, Asa Pacific Rit region The Und Se ene hy ener the sorta sucesso to the British Empize. In she nineteenth ent R ‘sed its insular geographical posion and command of the exe to suppet the European Balance of power excted at the Congress of Vien. Today. te Uoited Stas ase is insue geographical pos tion and comand ofthe sea, sr and space to suppor the Erin bance of power inthe wake ofthe Cold Wa {Lord Puimerston fats} remarked that ations have no perma ‘eat friends and no pemancat enemies, only permanent tres. Geopolitics bepssitesmen determi thee country's tse end helps them distinguish between endutig and transient interests, ‘Those interests can, ofcourse, change overtime. Ip the siatenth Ty ntestton Te Copan ty 7 an seventeenth cere, fr example, England sought 0 prevent {TSostle poner fom contaling Belpom. Lae her emp ek and, England sougt to main command of the easton ey balanced European continent. Pally as her emp fated, England soppored s song NATO nd sige elansip” wih the United Ste. "US. foreign ply ad a ii evoaticn tial ltr he War ot Inependence the United States sought to eliminate European faaecs onthe American coanet sad fo expand westward he owes Davin and Manifest Destiny). In the late nett cn tu, te Und Sets sought expad into te Pie Ocean and Ens Ata (he Opn Doo In the tet century the cetepene CLUS foreign ply wat prevent a Bote power aise of wer rom dominating Europe or East Asa oman "The sepals of the went centr aking shape. Glo taliaion scone intrdopendenes, and he iefoeaton reves {hon lft bow ators nent nn cnt But ae fora ‘ive no rendre geopolics elvan. nts those for and her Bt geopolitical ame Stoo To vndersnd were we ae, weve, 5 wees) f Took {So ino the geoph of story To do hat, We nee to aie ine ounehes wih the tne metho of geopolieal aa lojed bythe grat genoa! dere. Piipatcr wot, we ned fos he word as Macknder, Mata Spyhman an Barbar sm i