U.S. Hegemony and its Role in Preventing Global Conflict

During World War II’s, most nations wanted to establish a new era of peace, security, and prosperity in a war-devastated world. Unfortunately, after less than just 2 years of peace, the world endured another conflict with far higher tensions and stakes than ever before – the Cold War. The Cold War signified a fundamental transformation in American history, shifting the pillar of a nation’s power from sheer military numbers and equipment to a much smaller and dangerous medium: nuclear weapons. While the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. did not make any threats to launch their nuclear weapons at first, fear loomed across the globe for decades nevertheless as a new possibility was introduced: Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is the idea that any nation possessing a nuclear weapon that wants to attack another nuclear nation with second-strike capabilities, or the ability to strike back in defense, would cause both nations’ demise. MAD virtually gives any nation a “get out of jail free” card that they can use in many situations. 

While the tensions of the Cold War are a relic of the past, the concept of MAD and its consequences in current affairs remain. Now, most countries don’t use nuclear weapons for offensive purposes, but mainly as a deterrent by triggering MAD. Basically, otherwise unimportant and weak nations have nuclear capabilities that provide them with leverage over any country, giving them an unproportionate amount of influence relative to their true power. This is why North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-Un, doubled down on nuclear technologies during his reign amidst North Korea’s persistent internal struggles. North Korea’s newfound ‘immortality’ has allowed the nation to act more sporadically and aggressively than its neighbors with far greater economies and power but no access to this convenient card. 

The U.S., currently possessing nearly 4,000 nuclear warheads, is the global hegemon. While the U.S. has confidently assumed the role of global policeman, this responsibility has come at a heavy toll. The U.S., due to its many alliances and desire to compete with the former U.S.S.R. and modern-day China, is one of the only nations that provides expansive and powerful military aid across the world. Consequently, the country is allied with around 25% of the world’s population sitting on 75% of global economic output. Beyond the numbers, however, the nations the U.S. protects are among the most high-tension, conflict-torn regions in the entire world. The U.S. is currently legally bound to protect countries such as Israel, Taiwan, and South Korea, all nations in close proximity to dangerous actors on the world stage.

One might wonder; “Why don’t smaller nations simply develop nuclear weapons so that they can achieve MAD and deter threats?” While this is a possibility for most nations, acquiring, manufacturing, and even purchasing nuclear weapons is far easier said than done. This is because when geographically-near nations with disparate ideological beliefs both gain access to such weapons, security concerns arise over both countries’ stability. The chances of an arms race would rise, with these nations, due to paranoid miscalculation, carrying out preemptive strikes to prematurely defend themselves. 

To put this into context, if Iran decides to engage in nuclear proliferation, a possibility appearing more likely with every waking moment, Israel could perceive Iran as a threat to its own national security and strike. In a world without the U.S.’s protection, Iran, in retaliation, could acquire and/or develop nuclear weapons, leading to a highly unstable situation between the two nations. Furthermore, one of the greatest causes for concern of a nuclear war in the larger Middle East are the short travel times for nuclear missiles. If nations like Turkey or Saudi Arabia go nuclear, the balance within the region would become extremely unstable and potentially lead to a poly-nuclear Middle East war. 

Luckily, due to the US’s protection along with various global agreements, nuclear proliferation is a rarity. The 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has caused very few nations to develop their own nuclear capabilities, most of the other countries primarily using another hegemon’s aid. This treaty led to many more trade agreements resulting in greater global security with the U.S. at the forefront of most negotiations. The lasting effects of the NPT can be seen in no other country than Taiwan. Taiwan has long been one of the most conflicted-over countries in the world, inciting global commendation as well as condemnation for its citizens’ actions against their opposition, China. China has been eyeing Taiwan ever since the island’s initial split from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan, seeking a much more established position as a sovereign nation on the global stage, hasn’t obeyed China’s wishes. As a result, China has ramped up its hostility and aggression throughout the country. 

While Taiwan is proud to be independent, citizens fear a Chinese invasion is imminent. Researchers from Brown University state, “Taiwan has been under threat for decades, but the ratcheting up of Chinese missions and rhetoric in recent years, and [the] attack on Ukraine have set nerves on edge.” Fortunately, America has recently committed itself to protecting the island, with the Biden Administration revealing a new security and assistance policy directed towards Taiwan. This new approach, emphasizing the speed of arms deliveries, asymmetric capabilities, and a whole-of-society strategy, provides significant security assistance. If American protection of Taiwan doesn’t keep pace with Chinese aggression, the result would be disastrous. Political science professor Michael Schwarz describes that “without U.S. military protection, Taiwan would build nuclear weapons, it has the wealth and tech to do so quickly and has explored in the past. It is also not a signatory to the NPT.” Mark Suciu of the New York Post finds that “China would destroy the island nation. Nukes could make Beijing see Taiwan as a U.S. nuclear proxy that needs to be eliminated at all costs risk[ing] nuclear annihilation.” 

It is thus clear that U.S. is currently one of the only mediators for world peace and stability, and will continue to play a major role in global affairs for the foreseeable future.