ABSTRACT
The bipolar structure of power that centered around the United States and the Soviet Union seemed stable for nearly half a century. The Soviet Union ended World War II with the world’s largest army and appeared to threaten the security of Europe. The shape of the post-Cold War world will depend in part on the strategic choices made by the world’s largest power. Traditional accounts of international order see military force as the dominant instrument of power. The dominant American long-term interest is stability in Europe because twice in this century the United States was drawn into European conflicts under the worst possible circumstances. Some observers noting the decline of the Soviet Union and the success of the United States in the Gulf War have argued that the world is witnessing a “unipolar moment.” The three-bloc view runs counter to the fact that even after the Cold War America remains important to the security of both Europe and East Asia.
