Question 1

The tendency for weak states to ally themselves with strong powers is to

Accepted Answer

The tendency for weak states to ally themselves with strong powers is known as bandwagoning. This is because weak states may feel more secure aligning themselves with a powerful ally, rather than trying to balance power on their own or joining an anti-hegemonic alliance. Bandwagoning can occur for a variety of reasons, such as a desire for protection or access to resources.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

The doctrine described in the question is known as "massive retaliation," which was President Eisenhower's principle of deterrence during the Cold War. The idea was that the US would respond to any act of aggression from the Soviet Union with overwhelming force, including the use of nuclear weapons if necessary. This doctrine was intended to prevent the Soviet Union from launching an attack against the US or its allies, as they knew the consequences would be devastating.

Question 3

Hard power is usually associated with

Accepted Answer

Hard power is the ability to use military and economic means to influence the behavior or interests of other political actors. Therefore, the best choice is (D) military and economic capabilities.

Question 4

Soft power is

Accepted Answer

Soft power is the ability to achieve goals through attraction rather than coercion. It involves the use of culture, ideology, and diplomacy to influence others. It is in contrast to hard power, which relies on the use of military and economic coercion to achieve goals.

Question 5

Which of the following types of weapons were parts of the nuclear triad employed by both superpowers during the Cold War?

Accepted Answer

The nuclear triad consists of three components: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), and long-range bombers. These were employed by both the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War to ensure a second-strike capability.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) is a deterrence strategy where both sides have the capability to survive a first strike and retaliate with a devastating attack, ensuring mutual destruction.

Question 7

The nuclear powers of South Asia include

Accepted Answer

The nuclear powers of South Asia are India and Pakistan. China is not considered a part of South Asia, and neither Nepal nor Iran are nuclear powers.

Question 8

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was signed in

Accepted Answer

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was signed in 1968. This treaty aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology, promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and work towards nuclear disarmament.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

Deterrence involves actions to convince an adversary that the costs or risks of a particular action are too high, and to therefore deter them from taking that action. Coercive diplomacy and compellence are related concepts, but they involve using pressures or incentives to compel an adversary to take a particular action rather than dissuading them from doing something. Power politics and brinkmanship are broader concepts and do not necessarily involve preventive strategies.

Question 10

President Reagan's defensive shield against ballistic missiles was called

Accepted Answer

The defensive shield against ballistic missiles that President Reagan proposed was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as 'Star Wars.' The SDI was envisioned as a space-based missile defense system that would use advanced technology to shoot down enemy missiles before they reached American soil. It was a controversial program that ultimately never came to fruition, but it represented an important aspect of Reagan's national security agenda.

Question 11

The capabilities or resources held by a state that are considered necessary to its asserting influence over others is known as

Accepted Answer

Power potential refers to the capabilities or resources a state possesses that can be used to exert influence over others.

Question 12

What are the sources of power in world politics? Given the changes occurring in world politics, is the nature of power being transformed? If so, how? Given your interpretation, how might one go about measuring the power of states?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the sources of power in...

Question 13

The strategic doctrine of nuclear compellence was used by the United States against the Soviet Union during

Accepted Answer

The strategic doctrine of nuclear compellence was primarily used by the United States during the 1950s, particularly under the Eisenhower administration, as part of its strategy to deter Soviet aggression through the threat of nuclear retaliation.

Question 14

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?

Accepted Answer

The "guns vs. butter" concept relates to the idea of opportunity cost, which is the trade-off between choosing one option over another. In this case, the choice is between government expenditures on military (guns) versus social welfare and economic programs (butter). The government can only allocate a finite amount of resources, and choosing to spend more on one option means sacrificing spending on the other. Therefore, the government must consider the opportunity cost of each decision when deciding on how to allocate their resources.

Question 15

Intentionally taking enormous risks in bargaining with an adversary in order to compel submission is known as

Accepted Answer

Brinkmanship involves intentionally taking enormous risks in order to compel submission from an adversary in bargaining or negotiation. This can involve threatening extreme measures or actions in order to force the other party to back down. It is often used as a strategy in international relations and diplomacy.

Question 16

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) of 1972 is an example of what type of treaty?

Accepted Answer

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) of 1972 were a series of meetings between the United States and the Soviet Union, making it a bilateral (between two nations) arms control treaty aimed at limiting the arms race, particularly nuclear weapons.

Question 17

Which of the following is used to describe multiple nuclear warheads that are mounted on a single missile but are capable of striking separate targets independently?

Accepted Answer

Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV) are used to describe multiple nuclear warheads that are mounted on a single missile but are capable of striking separate targets independently.

Question 18

Which country is the leading global weapons exporter?

Accepted Answer

The United States is currently the leading global weapons exporter. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the US accounted for 36% of global arms exports from 2015-2019.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

Gunboat diplomacy is a strategy of intimidating an adversary with a display of military force, particularly naval force. This term originated in the 1800s when powerful countries would send gunboats to intimidate smaller or weaker states to comply with their demands.

Question 20

The condition that results when each state's increase in military capability is matched by the other's capability, resulting in no significant gain in security for any one state is known as

Accepted Answer

The security dilemma occurs when states increase their military capabilities to enhance their security, but this leads to other states doing the same, resulting in no net gain in security for any state.

Quiz 8: Military Power and the Use of Force