Exam 8: Military Power and the Use of Force

When describing the trade-off between government expenditures on the military versus social welfare and economic programs, the common adage "guns vs.butter" is used.This situation is referring to which of the following concepts?

A covert operation is an indirect form of military intervention.

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed in 1945, after the US bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Intimidating an adversary with a show of naval force is known as

America has used its power to spread democratic values throughout the world.Is this too idealistic or ambitious? Can or should all countries democratize? What are the political alternatives to democracies?

Nuclear weapons were used as effective tools of compellence between the end of World War II and the Cuban missile crisis in the 1960s.

There are three criteria for nuclear deterrence to be effective.Define these three criteria and explain how they came to play in American-Soviet relations during the 1960s and 1970s.

"If you want peace, prepare for war." Do you agree with this statement? Does preparing for war increase a state's security? Give examples to support your argument.

A country's economic strength is an example of hard power.

Preventive strategies designed to dissuade an adversary from doing what it would otherwise do is known as

Present four criticisms that IR scholars have made against balance of power theory.Do you think any or all of these criticisms are justified? Explain.

President Eisenhower's defense doctrine that pledged to respond to any act of aggression with the most destructive capabilities available including nuclear weapons was called

Soft power is

The international system is currently a unipolar one, with America as the sole superpower.Do you believe this system will endure? Explain the factors that could change this.Provide two alternatives to American dominance of the world system.

Hard power is usually associated with

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962.

A preemptive attack entails the use of force to eliminate a possible future strike, even if the threat is not imminent.

A deterrence system in which both sides possess the ability to survive a first strike and launch a devastating retaliatory attack is known as

Explain the difference between compellence, deterrence, and preemption.Under what conditions was each used? Which method provides the greatest security in the twenty-first century?

President Reagan's defensive shield against ballistic missiles was called