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The British Equilibrium Strategy And Diplomacy In The Late 1940s

Posted on:2008-05-10Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:P ZhangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2166360215456282Subject:History of international relations
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Great Britain not only tried to prevent Germany from reviving but also keep the Soviet Union from seeking hegemony after world war II for the equilibrium in European continent. What's the most important, Great Britain made an effort to keep balance between "Big Three" and play the same important role as the Soviet Union and the United states in the world. British equilibrium strategy had been adjusted from triple-pole strategy to bi-pole strategy and his diplomacy had been changed correspondingly. This thesis discusses the British equilibrium strategy in the late 1940s, and makes an analysis of what the diplomacy was and how carried out.The thesis consists of five chapters:Charter one briefly recounts the shift in the balance of forces among the Great-power and therefore the shift in the world order. It also sketches the preliminary imagination of British position in the world immediately after World War II. World War II brought about a change in the contest of strength, Britain lagged far behind the Soviet Union and the United States. The bipolar world had been formed in Yalta System. However, Britain placed hopes on a balance of three powers and getting the same position as the Soviet Union and the United Stated in the world.Charter two probes into the strategic conception of equilibrium and his diplomacy which had been put forward to set up in British Foreign Ministry immediately after World War II. At that time, Foreign Ministry dreamed up a triple pole world of the postwar period in which Britain is on equal terms with her wartime alliance i.e. the Soviet Union and the United States. In European continent, Britain endeavored to constrain the force of Germany and balances the force of Soviet Union. As for the diplomacy, Britain adopted cooperation policy between "Big Three" in order to set up the system of check and balance between "Big Three". Due to the recognition of relatively declining of British international status, Ernest Bevin, British Foreign Minister, had been considering to organize a "Third Force" between the United States and the Soviet Union since the end of World war II, which would be composed of European states and could help Britain to keep balance between "Big Three". All of this is for "Big Three" to maintain each main sphere of influence in the world. However, Britain suffered a defeat with the development of international situation from 1945 to the end of 1946. Firstly, in the 1945 and 1946, the Soviet Union increasingly provoked British sphere of influence, which deepened the Foreign Office's suspicion. These incidents had further increased the tension between the two countries. Secondly, the Anglo-American cooperation is not as intimate as Britain had expected. Finally, Western Europe Union proposal met with soviet strong opposition, Out of maintaining "Big Three" cooperation, Western Europe Union went no farther in these two years. Britain lest Western Europe Union should stir American Isolationism. In addition, Anglo-French contradictions on Germany became the insurmountable obstacle that Western Europe Union policies had no major breakthrough. Britain began to revise its diplomatic imagination soon.Charter three analyses the reasons why British policy of maintaining "Third Force" continued after the breakout of Cold War As well as its new diplomacy. With the coming of the Cold War, Britain remained the imagination of "middle planet". Reasons are as follow: At first, Britain and The Soviet Union fell apart after the breakout of Cold War. Britain let down fearful of criticism that the Soviet Union charged toward Western Europe Union. Then, America did not offer enough respect for Britain and paid great attention to Britain. At last, Anglo-French relation turned for the better because of France initiative at the beginning of 1947. The Dunkirk Treaty was singed on 4 March 1947. Bevin assumed to conclude similar bipartite treaties with other Western Europe countries, then, Great Britain, which would be the core of the Group, could become the leader of Western Europe. As for the diplomacy, Britain gave up cooperation policy and chose containment strategy. He pushed America to the most forward line and combined together against the Soviet Union. However, under the background of Cold War, warfare between the West and the East became increasingly acute. Britain was difficult to maintain "middle planet" status.Charter four investigates the reason and the result why Britain abandoned triple pole and chose bi-pole. As the Cold War deepened, especially after the Czechoslovakia Coup in February 1948, which immediately caused the signature of Brussels Treaty whose aim was against Soviet, the Soviet Union showed strong tendency to expand his influence which endanger the balance of power. Britain realized the united power of Western Europe was not at all enough strong to balance the Soviet Union, and "middle planet" was pitching. During this period, British foreign strategy took a turn, Bevin was forced to give up the vision of "The Third Force", which meant one group between two superpowers, and turned his focus from west Europe to do his best to win American's support for an Atlantic Alliance and formed his special relations with America. Atlantic Alliance meant Britain hand the lever of equilibrium over America and the Soviet Union which became the main roles in the Cold War. But Britain did not follow in American steps. In the contrast, Britain made his diplomacy on the basis of national interest.The thesis thinks finally, after World War II, Britain had lost the lever of equilibrium. The reason is that Britain waned in influence. But what is the most important is that the world order which entirety influence the equilibrium had been changed. At the end of World War II, Britain was unwilling to accept the truth of bi-pole and had been Struggling to maintain first class country. Why Britain dreamed of triple pole system? The reason is that Britain overvalued himself and underestimated the degree of warfare between the West and the East. However, as soon as Britain recognized the decay, he put down the burden of maintaining balance of power and hitched a ride of America to make the balance between the West and the East.
Keywords/Search Tags:Equilibrium Strategy, British Diplomacy, Western Europe Union, Atlantic Union
PDF Full Text Request
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