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A Postwar System of Security: Great-Power Directorate or United Nations?

11 important questions on A Postwar System of Security: Great-Power Directorate or United Nations?

What was the concept of ‘spheres of influence’, and what was allied reaction to this idea?

The idea meant the powerful countries would be given power over certain areas to exercise their influence, and Churchill as well as Stalin initially agreed to this idea. Roosevelt in the end disagreed with the idea because he thought it would be unstable and create two armed camps that would enter war again later. He wanted a clean slate for everyone in order to start again.

What was Franklin Roosevelt’s Grand Design? Why was it criticized?

The only solution in Roosevelt’s eyes was to continue a coalition between the victors to keep the peace settlement. All the countries with the greatest powers would form “The four Policemen” with exclusive authority over military force and consulting together. This idea did not take into consideration the interests of the many other countries that fought in the war, which wanted to be a part in the reconstruction of the world.

What was the division of power in the UN between the General Assembly & the Security Council?

General principles of cooperation in the international system are discussed in the General Assembly, where every country is represented equally and recommendations can be made.
Authority for action on specific crises resided in the Security Council where the five largest powers of the time hold permanent membership and a veto right (France, Britain, China, Russia, USA).

When is legitimate use of force authorized under Chap. VII of the UN Charter?

Chapter VII states that when the settlement of disputes through diplomacy (all other means) fails, armed forces may be used. Only two cases qualify here: self-defense and international enforcement action (power to the security council to determine existence of threat to peace).

What sort of role has the Military Staff Committee played?

The military staff committee was a consulation body to the SC, composed of chiefs of staff of permanent members that would help to develop plans for the “establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments” and the application of armed force. Later these plans included arms control agreements, embargoes, humanitarian interventions and peacekeeping forces. The Military Staff Committee, however, did not end up doing very much of the things it was designed to do.

What was the Potsdam Agreement?

There was a conference in Potsdam, dealing with the reconstruction of Europe, Germany in particular. The great powers failed to agree on fundamental features of the postwar settlement.

Why did many diplomats describe the UN Charter as ‘the art of the possible’?

They thought so because they viewed the creation of it realistically, they were not amazed but also not angry. They did not think every country would be able to gain what they wanted. They saw the charter as realistic but they were visionary. They saw the paradox that the international system should rule states, yet international order is made through separate states.

What were some of the causes of Great Power disagreement shortly after the founding of the UN?

The great powers failed to agree in the Potsdam conference because the Soviets moved troops further into Eastern Europe and entered the war in Asia, and America dropped bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The partners of the 'grand alliance' became rivals again with own interests.

What was the effect of increased membership?

The increased membership caused the west to loose its majority and therefore power/influence in the UN. It also accelerated the dimension of the diplomatic revolution- there were many more races and languages, the international scope was reached and more different issues were now on the UN agenda.

Mention some of the flashpoints where the UN played a role

The UN became a place where informal contacts could be made, disputes could be settled, holding of sanctions were decided on and of course force was exercised. The first time for this chapter VII force was in 1950 in North Korea, beginning the Korean War. The UN sent military forces o peace to troubled areas to prevent wars, such as in Congo and Cyprus. The Security Council decided and authorized the collective force when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

Why was 1988 called the ‘year of the UN’?

By 1988, nearly 500,000 UN personnel from 58 nations had been involved in peacekeeping operations. In April, the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw forces from Afghanistan. In August, on basis of security council plan, Iran and Iraq agreed to a cease-fire in a conflict of 10 years. Also, the Peruvian Secretary General secured the agreement of Greece and Turkey to hold new talks on the problem of uniting Cyprus. There were many more achievements for the UN in this year.

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The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Force and statecraft | 9780195162493 | Paul Gordon Lauren, et al

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A Postwar System of Security: Great-Power Directorate or United Nations?

11 important questions on A Postwar System of Security: Great-Power Directorate or United Nations?

What was the concept of ‘spheres of influence’, and what was allied reaction to this idea?

What was Franklin Roosevelt’s Grand Design? Why was it criticized?

What was the division of power in the UN between the General Assembly & the Security Council?

When is legitimate use of force authorized under Chap. VII of the UN Charter?

What sort of role has the Military Staff Committee played?

What was the Potsdam Agreement?

Why did many diplomats describe the UN Charter as ‘the art of the possible’?

What were some of the causes of Great Power disagreement shortly after the founding of the UN?

What was the effect of increased membership?

Mention some of the flashpoints where the UN played a role

Why was 1988 called the ‘year of the UN’?

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