Exam 3: The Historical Setting of Contemporary World Politics

Discuss the penalties the Versailles Treaty imposed on Germany.Give your own example of a more balanced treaty and discuss how it could have prevented World War I.

European leaders reacted positively to Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points" speech because there was widespread support for the liberal ideas it contained.

Why did idealists believe their proposals would successfully manage conflict in the post-World War I world? Why did these proposals fail? What alternative steps might have been taken to prevent the onset of World War II?

When two overwhelmingly powerful states dominate world politics, the structure of the international system is referred to as being

One factor that likely contributed to the end of the Cold War was the toll that the expensive arms race took on the Soviet economy.

Which of the following factors is not considered a reason for the emergence of the Cold War?

One cause of World War II was appeasement of Adolf Hitler by Britain and France.

The Soviet-Afghan War began in

Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points" speech included which of the following principles?

The assassination of this person triggered the outbreak of World War I.

The Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) limited the number of nuclear weapons each country could possess.

Underlying causes of World War II included all but which of the following?

The global power distribution that existed during the Cold War was unipolar.

The Truman Doctrine, which defined U.S.strategy vis-à-vis the Soviet Union during the Cold War, stated that

Realists believe that the main cause of the Cold War was

Long-cycle theory focuses on the rise and fall of the leading global powers in the modern world system.

Which two events are commonly accepted as signifying the end of the Cold War?

Many international relations scholars see the rise of nationalism as an important systemic cause for World War I.

One consequence of World War II was the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as the sole superpowers.

What are the responsibilities of a global superpower? Is the United States risking "imperial overstretch?" What are the costs and benefits of acting unilaterally? What are the challenges to the United States in continuing to hold this position? What are the challenges to the global system if the United States loses its hegemonic position?