Understanding International Relations

Department of Computer Science

Assignment No. 1

Course Title:
Understanding International Relations
Submitted To:
Ma’am Sadaf Batool
Submitted By:
Tahira Bibi
2018_BCS_087
Submitted On:
2nd May, 2021

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 Understanding International Relations

First World War (1914-1918)

Opponents in World War I:
Between 1914 and 1918, about 30 countries declared war on each other. The majority joined the
Allies which includes Serbia, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States. The
Central Powers, which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire,
thwarted them.

Causes:

 European Expansionism:

Imperialism, or the expansion of European nations as colonies, was a major cause of

World War I, and as countries like Britain and France expanded their empires, tensions
between European countries grew. As British and French expansionism increased,
tensions between opposing empires such as Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman
Empire grew, culminating in the establishment of the Allied Powers (Britain and France)
and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire) during
World War I.

 Serbian Nationalism

Many political movements were active in the years leading up to World War I, with
Serbian nationalism playing a particularly important role. Serbian nationalism arose in the
mid- to late-nineteenth century, triggered by two events related to the outbreak of World
War I. Serbian nationalism grew stronger with the decline of the Ottoman Empire,
culminating in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Bosnian Serb
in 1914, which officially started the Great War.

 The Assassination of Francis Ferdinand:

A Serbian man assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. On July 28, 1914,
Austria declared war on Serbia. In violation of the Berlin Congress of 1878, Austrian
occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina killed him.

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 Conflicts over Alliances:

Prior to WWI, Serbia, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, the United Kingdom, France,
Belgium, and the United Kingdom, as well as Russia and Japan, had formed alliances. The
Triple Entente, formed in 1907 by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia, was the cause
for the world's most foreign conflict.

Germany's power and survival were threatened by the alliance that surrounded it. As
tensions between the alliances increased, pre-existing alliances prompted other countries
to declare war on one another. The Allies and the Central Powers, the two sides in World
War I, were created as a result of disagreements over alliances that forced nations to
defend one another.

 Germany Millenarianism – Spirit of 1914:

According to historians, Germany's spirit was high in the years leading up to World War I,
with widespread support for the country's participation in the conflict. The German
government saw the outbreak of the war and its support for Austria-Hungary as an
opportunity to strengthen its status as a leading power, which was bolstered by popular
nationalism, which further unified Germany behind the monarchy. This millenarianism,
however, was short-lived, as Germany was unprepared to fight the long war, which had a
drastic and demoralizing impact on the nation.

Consequences:
 During World War I, four monarchies fell: Germany, Turkey, Austria-Hungary, and Russia.
 As people grew more nationalistic and imperialist revolts erupted in Southeast Asia, the
Middle East, and Africa, the end of colonialism was largely marked by World War I.
 The war altered the global economic balance, leaving Europe heavily in debt and creating
the United States as the world's leading producer and creditor.
 Inflation exploded in most countries, and Germany's economy was severely impacted by
the need to pay reparations.
 Because of the large number of soldiers deployed across the world, influenza spread
rapidly, resulting in a global epidemic that killed over 25 million people.
 With all of the latest arms used, World War I forever changed the face of modern warfare.

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 As a result of the barbaric tactics used during the war and the casualties suffered, World
War I engendered a great deal of hostility among nations.
 Following World War I, it became clear that a global organization of nations was needed
to promote global stability and peace. As a result, the League of Nations was created.
 The Treaty of Versailles' harsh terms ignited widespread resentment in Europe, especially
among the Central Powers, who were forced to pay significant financial reparations.
Analysis:
The United States was the real victor of the First World War. It entered the war late, in 1917, but
emerged much stronger than the majority of other nations, having avoided the bloodshed and
squandered economic effort that plagued the major European powers. It soon surpassed the
Britain as the world's most powerful financial force.

During the war, the League of Nations was created, an international organization of nation states
dedicated to promoting international peace and stability. It left more than 20 million soldiers
dead and 21 million more wounded, which can be attributed to trench warfare.

Women were expected to manage businesses while their husbands were at war, and labor laws
were strictly enforced. All wanted a higher standard of life. The war shattered empires, spawned
a slew of new nation-states, fueled independence movements in Europe's colonies, propelled the
US to global supremacy, and paved the way for Soviet communism and Hitler's rise.

How did the War end?

On November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., World War I came to an end. Germany had officially
surrendered and all nations had agreed to cease fighting before any peace terms could be
concluded. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, by Germany and the Allies
(Britain, France, Italy, and Russia), officially ending the war.

Second World War (1939-1945)

Opponents in World War II:
The Second World War engulfed almost every nation on the planet from 1939 to 1945. The
Allies—France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent,
China—were pitted against the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan. World War II was the
bloodiest and most massive conflict in human history, with an estimated 40–50 million people
killed.

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Causes:
 Treaty of Versailles:
Following World War I, the victorious Allies met to decide what would happen to
Germany. Germany would be forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Germany had to own
up to its role in the war and make amends. Germany lost ground, and the right to have a
powerful military was taken away.
 Germany’s Militarism:
Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia in 1936. At the moment,
neither France nor the United Kingdom were ready to go to war. Hitler formed alliances
with Italy and Japan in 1936. Germany, Italy, and Japan formed the Axis Powers, a military
alliance, during World War II.
 Failure of Appeasement:
The Britain and France gave Germany permission to annex areas of Czechoslovakia where
German-speakers lived. Germany made the decision not to invade any other nation,
including Czechoslovakia in its entirety. In March 1939, the promise was broke by
Germany and it annexed all of Czechoslovakia. The Britain and France were also incapable
of military intervention.
German forces invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. The Britain and France declared
war on Germany right away. In Europe, World War II had started.
 Failure of the League of Nations:
The League of Nations was established in 1919 with the aim of enlisting all countries'
participation and resolving international conflicts by negotiation rather than force.
The League of Nations was a promising idea, but it didn't work out in the end. The League
had no army to deter military aggression such as Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in Africa or
Japan's invasion of Manchuria in China, and not all countries participated.
 Japan’s Militarism:
In 1931, economic depression had a major effect on Japan. The Japanese army invaded
China, a nation rich in minerals and oil. China requested assistance from the League of
Nations. Despite the League of Nations, Japan went on to rule China and Korea.
As Japan annexed other parts of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, the US became
worried about its Asian territories, such as the Philippines and Guam. Japan invaded Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941, fearing that the US military would stifle its expansion.
World War II had begun in Asia.

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Consequences:
The two wars, especially the Second World War, obliterated the old international power system
and ushered in a new one.

 As a result of their war losses, Germany and Italy were extremely weak.
 Due to their high war casualties, Britain and France were weak.
 As a result of the war, Europe's power balance was thrown into disarray.
 Europe's role as a global political power has deteriorated.

 Since Europe was small, Asian and African countries were able to break free from
colonialism and imperialism.
 In order to extend its foreign reach, Europe pressured the Soviet Union to do the same.

 In several respects, the postwar international order varied from the classical order: The
Power Balance was replaced by a Terror Balance.
 The emergence of new nations, as well as the abolition of imperialism and colonialism,
resulted in a significant shift in global political ties.
 The rise of the cold war and bipolarity in foreign policy was aided by the presence of two
conflicting, if not fighting, superpowers.
 As the war became a full-fledged conflict, nations' worries about maintaining world peace
and stability increased.
 It has been replaced by the present international system, which is marked by two
superpowers, the cold war, bipolarity, non-alignment, anti-imperialism, the United
Nations, the advent of a slew of new sovereign states in Asia and Africa, and a resurgent
Latin America, all of which have greatly altered the world map and international affairs.

Analysis:
The multipolar international system had given way to bipolarity by the end of WWII, which was
characterized by the pursuit of a power balance among great powers, with none of them able to
overpower the others.

Two competing great powers dominated the bipolar world, each exerting significant economic,
military, and cultural control over their allies. The United States (US) and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR) have almost identical power distributions (USSR).

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Mutual peace, cooperation, defense, development, and prosperity for all nations became
recognized as a value in international relations as a result of a more effective and efficient power
management device.

How did the War end?

World War II came to an end in 1945 with Germany's unconditional surrender in May 1945.
However, Victory in Europe Day is observed on both May 8 and 9. This double celebration takes
place as Germany surrendered to the Western Allies, which included the Britain and the United
States on 8th May and to Russia on 9th May.

On August 14, 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered and signed their surrender on September
2, bringing the East Asian war to an end. The Japanese surrendered after the United States
dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, respectively.

COLD WAR
Opponents in Cold War:
Following Second World War,, the United States and the Soviet Union became two Super Powers.
One country's target was to weaken the other. In a roundabout way, the rivalry between the
Super Powers led to the Cold War. The United States of America then invaded both colonial
countries. All communist countries were governed by Soviet Russia. As a result, they were pitted
against one another.

Europe's power began to wane after World War II, and the Cold War was started. Despite the
fact that there was no direct dispute between the two nations, the Cold War was called due to
fears over nuclear proliferation.

Bipolar Power Structure at the emergence of Cold War:

The United States and the Soviet Union created two competing and rival camps as a result of the
emergence of the cold war. To unite democratic anti-communist countries under its influence,
the US proposed a slew of bilateral and multilateral alliances, including NATO, SEATO, ANZUS,
and others.

In retaliation, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact, which brought communist countries
together. Two opposing powers arose as a result of these events: the US Bloc and the Soviet Bloc.
As a result of this situation, the world was divided into two opposing and often aggressive blocs,
which became known as bipolarity in world politics.

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Causes:

 The Soviet Union was a communist country founded on collectivism or socialism, while
the United States was a capitalist liberal democracy founded largely on the ideals of
individualism. During the Cold War, this ideological division was a major source of conflict
between the two nations, as the Soviet Union wanted to spread communism across the
world while the United States attempted to curb it with its containment policy.

 After Second World War, Soviet Russia strengthened its military, posing a threat to
Western nations. As a result, the Atomic Bomb, Hydrogen Bomb, and other lethal devices
were developed by the United States. Other European countries have participated in the
race. As a result, the world was divided into two power blocs, setting the stage for the
Cold War.

 Ideological differences were another cause of the Cold War. Around the same time as the
United States was embracing capitalism, Soviet Russia was fostering Communism. As a
result of this propaganda, the Cold War accelerated.

 Another factor that contributed to the Cold War was America's nuclear program.
Following the United States' bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Soviet Russia feared
for her survival. As a result, it adopted a position similar to that of the United States. As a
result, the Cold War became more ferocious.

 Western countries hate Russia because of the Soviet Union's use of veto power over
them. When western countries expressed an opinion in the UN Security Council, Soviet
Russia vetoed it right away. As a result, Western countries were annoyed by Soviet Russia,
and the Cold War erupted.

Consequences:
 Fear and panic ensued, resulting in a mad rush to develop more sophisticated weapons.
To increase global tensions, NATO, SEATO, the WARSAW PACT, CENTO, ANZUS, and other
alliances were established.
 As both superpowers sought to fight the opponent's planned actions during the Cold War,
the UN became unsuccessful. The Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam
War, to name a few, are all prime examples of this.

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 Due to the Cold War, a Third World was created. A large number of nations of Africa, Asia
and Latin America decided to keep away from the military alliances of the two super
powers. They liked to remain neutral. So, Non-Alignments Movement became the direct
outcome of the Cold War.

 The Cold War, which was broken on the rock of hate, shattered the idea of treating the
whole world as a family. The world was shattered into two groups.

 The world's stability was thrown into disarray by the Cold War. Conflicts between
alliances and counter-alliances created a tense environment. Russia and the United States
were unable to establish a stable environment despite their attempts as superpowers to
resolve the global crisis.

Analysis:
With the end of the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the bipolar international
order gave way to unipolarity, with the United States emerging as the sole superpower.
Internationally, the Cold War had far-reaching consequences. For the most part, the Cold War
divided the world into three camps: NATO, Warsaw, and the uncommitted.

Nuclear arms were present in the first two camps. The rivalry between the two superpowers
spread rapidly across the globe. According to Murphy (2003), the United States enlisted the help
of other agreeable regions on the globe to form their own coalitions, such as CENTO in the Middle
East and SEATO in Southeast Asia, with the goal was to create a military alliance to encircle the
Soviet Union, causing tensions to rise.

In the first two camps, nuclear weapons were present. The rivalry between the two superpowers
drew immediate attention from around the world. According to Murphy (2003), the US enlisted
the assistance of other agreeable regions around the world to form their own coalitions in order
to encircle the Soviet Union with a military alliance, such as CENTO in the Middle East and SEATO
in Southeast Asia.

Apart from that, both superpowers had atomic rockets capable of reaching Moscow and
Washington independently. As a result, the Cold War spread around the world, posing a direct
threat to world peace. The two superpowers partnered on a global public relations and military
campaign.

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How did the War end?

Since the conclusion of the Cold War, 45 years have passed. War began when the strained alliance
between the United States and the Great Britain on the one hand, and the Soviet Union on the
other, began to disintegrate after Nazi Germany surrendered in 1945.

From the end of Second World War until the Soviet Union's dissolution on December 26, 1991, it
was a political, cultural, and economic struggle between two world superpowers, the United
States and the Soviet Union.

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