Military-political blocs are organizations to which society is rather ambiguous. Some people believe that their main task is to support peace and provide military protection for members of the alliance, while others believe that such organizations are the main source of aggression in the world. Who is right here and is there a definite answer to this question? Let us find out what the military-political blocs are, and at the same time, trace the history of their creation and development.
Definition
We establish what is meant by the definition of a given organization. A military-political bloc is an alliance of several states created for collective defense or for conducting military operations against a common enemy. The creation of the bloc may also pursue the goal of cooperation on political and economic issues between its members. The degree of this cooperation and mutual integration is individual for each such union. Arrangements may provide for joint actions only in the event of a specific military danger, or may involve close interaction in all areas, even in peacetime.
In some organizations, a collective decision is strictly binding, in others it is advisory in nature, that is, each member has the right to refuse to comply with the decision, without leaving the block. There are alliances in which each participating country is obliged to launch hostilities in the event of an attack on one of the bloc members. But far from in all such organizations, this principle is binding. For example, if in NATO an attack on one of the members of the union means a declaration of war on the whole bloc as a whole, then in SEATO there was no such rule in the charter.
Military-political blocs can be created to carry out a specific task and, after reaching the goal, be dissolved or act on an indefinite basis.
Block History
The predecessors of modern military blocs have been known since the days of the Ancient World. The very first military alliance of several states can be called a coalition of Greek policies that existed for 10 years in the legendary campaign against Troy in the XII century. BC. But these were, rather, legendary times, and not historical, since there are no written chronicles of those events.
The first coalition in reliable history appears in 691 BC. e. It was the union of Media, Babylonia, and Elam against Assyria. In addition, the history of such unions of Greek policies is known as the Peloponnesian, Delosian, Boeotian, Corinthian, Chalkidian. A little later formed the Hellenic, Achaean and Aetolian unions. Then, in Central Italy, the Latin Union was formed, which later grew into the Ancient Roman State.
All these alliances were more like confederations than military blocs in their modern meaning.
In the Middle Ages, alliances of states were most often limited to military support in the event of war and almost did not concern other areas of relations. Often it was a union against a specific enemy. So, the cementing foundation of the Franco-Scottish (or Old) union, which was concluded in 1295, was the hostile attitude of both countries with England. It was during this period that England began its expansion into Scotland, and a few decades later, the Hundred Years War with France began. It is noteworthy that the alliance between Scotland and France lasted as long as 265 years until 1560.
In 1386, the Anglo-Portuguese Union arose, formalized by the Windsor Treaty. He, in turn, was directed against the strengthening of Spain. However, formally it exists to this day, thereby being the oldest military-political union, but still not a bloc in the modern sense.
At the dawn of modern times, a number of military alliances of European states arose, striving to unite in a coalition against a common enemy. These associations include the Holy and Catholic Leagues under the patronage of the Pope, the Protestant Union, which united Lutheran and Calvinist states and other associations.
In 1668, the Triple Alliance of England, Sweden and Holland arose, directed against the strengthening of France under Louis XIV.
In 1756, two opposing alliances were immediately formed - the Anglo-Prussian and Versailles. The latter associations included Russia, France and Austria. These coalitions entered the confrontation in the Seven Years War. In the end, the Russian Empire, as a result of the accession to the throne of Peter III, went over to the side of the Anglo-Prussian Union.
From 1790 to 1815, a number of coalitions were formed, aimed at combating revolutionary and Napoleonic France. Moreover, often by force of arms and with the help of diplomacy, France forced some members of these coalitions to withdraw from them, or even switch to the French side. But in the end, the forces of the Sixth Coalition managed to defeat Napoleon.
In 1815, a Holy Alliance was formed between Prussia, Russia and Austria, the purpose of which was to consolidate the world order established after the Napoleonic Wars and prevent revolution in Europe. However, in 1832, after another revolution in France, this union broke up.
In 1853, a coalition was formed between France, England, the Ottoman Empire and the Sardinian Kingdom against the Russian Empire. This alliance won the Crimean War.
New Type Unions
Now it is time to describe the formation of military-political blocs closer to the modern type. The emergence of such organizations began in the second half of the 19th century and took shape in concrete structures towards the end of the century. The formation of these associations was the decisive factor that led to the outbreak of World War I.
The basis for the warring blocs was the Triple (1882-1915) and the Franco-Russian Union (1891-1893), which later became the Fourth Union and the Entente.
Formation of the Fourth Union
As mentioned above, the Triple Alliance, concluded in 1882 between the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy and Germany, served as the basis for the creation of the Fourth Union. The countries of the Triple Alliance sought to establish their dominance in continental Europe, for which they united against France and the Russian Empire.
The conclusion of the Triple Alliance was preceded by a bilateral Austro-German treaty of 1879. It was the German empire, created on the basis of the kingdom of Prussia, that took the initiative to create a military-political bloc directed against Russia and France. Germany was also the strongest economically and politically blocky state.
It should be noted that before Austria-Hungary adhered to allied relations with the Russian Empire, and with Prussia it was just at enmity because of the rivalry for the right of supremacy in the German world. But after the victory of Prussia in the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 and in the Franco-Prussian war of 1970, the situation changed radically. Prussia proved its dominance in the fragments of the former Holy Roman Empire, and Austria-Hungary was forced to alliance with it, having signed a mutual support agreement in Vienna in 1879, which was valid for 5 years.
The agreement provided that in the event of an attack by the Russian Empire on one of the signatories, the second should come to his aid. If Germany or Austria-Hungary is attacked not by Russia, but by another country, then the second person involved in the treaty must at least be neutral, but if the Russian emperor acts on the side of the aggressor, then, again, the signatories must unite for a mutual struggle. This bloc of two powers was commonly called the Double Alliance.
In 1882, Italy joined Austria-Hungary and Germany. So the Triple Alliance arose. However, the signing of the agreement between the three countries was initially kept secret. As before, the term of the contract was limited to five years. In 1887 and in 1891 he signed again, and in 1902 and in 1912. automatically rolled over.
It should be noted that the union of the three countries was not very strong. Thus, for economic reasons, in 1902, an agreement was signed between Italy and France, which stated that in the event of a war between the French and Germans, Italians would observe neutrality. Therefore, after the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Italy did not side with Germany and Austria-Hungary. In 1915, by signing an agreement in London with the countries of the Entente, Italy refused to participate in the Triple Alliance, and entered the war on the side of its opponents.
The triple alliance came to an end. Germany and Austria-Hungary managed to create a new coalition. Instead of Italy, already during the World War II, two states joined at once - the Ottoman Empire (since 1914) and Bulgaria (since 1915). So the Fourth Union arose. The countries that were part of this military-political association are usually called the Central Powers.
The quadruple alliance ceased to exist due to defeat in the First World War. As a result, the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires fell apart, and Germany and Bulgaria suffered significant territorial losses.
Entente
The military-political blocs of the First World War were not limited only to the Fourth Union. The second formidable force that entered the confrontation was the Entente.
The formation of the Entente was laid by the Franco-Russian Union, concluded in 1891. He was a kind of response to the formation of the Triple Alliance. Russia and France agreed that in the event of an attack by members of a hostile coalition on one of the countries, the second should provide military assistance. These arrangements were valid as long as the Triple Alliance exists.
In 1904, an agreement was signed between Britain and France. It put an end to the centuries-old rivalry of these powers. Great Britain and France agreed on the colonial division of the world and became virtually allies. The name Entente cordiale was attached to this agreement, which is translated from French as “cordial consent”. Hence the name of the bloc - the Entente.
In 1907, it was possible to overcome the Anglo-Russian contradictions. Between representatives of states an agreement was signed on the delimitation of influence. Thus ended the formation of the Entente.
The military-political blocs in Europe — the Entente and the Fourth Union — played a decisive role in unleashing World War I. After the German Empire attacked Russia and France, Great Britain, true to its allied duty, declared war on Germany. However, not all members of the Entente had the strength and resources to bring the war to a victorious end. So, in 1917, a Bolshevik revolution took place in Russia, after which the country made peace with Germany and actually left the Entente. However, this did not prevent other members of the coalition, with the help of the United States and other allies, from winning the world war.
After the war ended, the Entente countries (Great Britain and France) intervened in Russia with the aim of overthrowing the Bolshevik regime. However, this time it was not possible to achieve great success.
Military Blocks during World War II
The military alliance of Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, imperial Japan and several other countries served as the main cause of the Second World War. The beginning of the creation of the bloc was an agreement signed in 1936 between Germany and Japan on joint actions against the spread of communism. It is called the Anti-Comintern Pact. Later, Italy and a number of other states, which are commonly called Axis countries, joined this treaty. It was the powers of this bloc that showed aggression, starting the Second World War.
The coalition opposing the Axis countries was formed only during World War II. It was formed from the USSR, Great Britain and the USA and adopted the name of the Anti-Hitler Coalition. The formation began in 1941, after the entry of the USSR and the USA into the war. The key moment in the creation of the bloc directed against the fascist aggressors was the Tehran Conference of Heads of Powers in 1943. Only after creating a strong coalition did the Allies manage to turn the tide of the war.
NATO block
The creation of military-political blocs has become an element of confrontation between the countries of the West and the USSR in the so-called Cold War. From them came the danger of unleashing a new world war, but at the same time they served as a deterrent.
The most famous is the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO). It was created in 1949 and united the countries of Western Europe, the USA and Canada. Its purpose is to ensure collective security of the above countries. However, it is not a secret to anyone that the North Atlantic Alliance was originally conceived with the goal of containing the USSR. But even after the collapse of the Union, the bloc did not cease to exist, but, on the contrary, replenished with a number of countries from eastern Europe.
Even before the formation of NATO in 1948, the Western European Union was formed. This was a kind of attempt to organize their own pan-European armed forces, but after the formation of NATO, the relevance of this issue has disappeared.
Creating ATS
In response to the formation of NATO in 1955, the countries of the socialist camp at the initiative of the USSR created their own military-political bloc, which became known as the ATS. His goal was to confront the North Atlantic Alliance. In addition to the USSR, the bloc included 7 more states: Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia.
ATS was liquidated in 1991, after the collapse of the socialist camp.
Small military blocks
The military-political blocs of the 20th century existed not only on a global, but also on a regional scale. Between the world wars, a number of local unions were created to solve regional problems and ensure the Versailles world order. These included the Entente: Small, Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Baltic.
During the Cold War, a number of regional blocs were created whose purpose was to prevent the spread of communist regimes. These included SEATO (Southeast Asia), CENTO (Middle East), and ANZYUK (Asia Pacific).
