Page 436 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

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402 ANTONIO OF JESUS BISPO
ro a major power and following intensifìed trade with Amedca. co ensure access
co che self-derermjned Sourheasc Asia countries. As in Europe, a policy of uncondi·
cional surrendcr was adopced.
This mcanr that America's tradirional isolacionist posiclon had become im·
possible. Thc Unired Srares' pardcipacion in the complicaced wscussions in Eu·
rope during the war had createci responsabilities aimed ar preventing another war.
And the behaviour of the Nations regarding Cenerai Europea n issu.es and rhe pow-
er rclacionships which existed at char time in ali thc condnenc, indicared vcry dear·
ly char che danger of war was noc remote.
For rhe same rcasons the United States assumed lcadership in che Pacifìc, and
objecrivcs and principlcs drawn up d1.1ring the war were accepced.
The concainmenc scrategy ca me i neo force as a consequence ofTruman docuine.
The Europe's imperia! age had progressively come co an end. Despit·t che cf-
forts of che major Europcun powers, divercing forces oucside Europe, their inOucnce
in Africa and Asia had start!!d ro decline. And the world had become bipolar. The
comaìnment of communist cxpansion had led ro a global strarcgy. Alrnosr ali rhc
opposing incerpretacions of cvery relevanc policicat event in any polnt of rhe globe
were considered by each of the biocs leadershìp. A munto.! disrrusr was always prese m.
In such conJ!tions a war would be incvirablc. l t was in cvcrybody's murual inrercsc
co avoid it, due to thc dcscrucrive effeccs predlcred, and rhis led co rhe Cold War
and to ali forms of indirect stcategy.
Afccr che Second World War, rhe strate&'Y of conruinmenc hnd reinforced che
involvement of the Unite·d Scares in Europt'lln issues, starring with an anc:mpt to creare
a Europt-an Defcncc Communicy, in rhc ho pc of solving che problems of rh e balance
of powcr and in an attcmpr m bring forccs cogerher in nn unircd front againsr che
rhcear of Soviet expansion. This was thc firsr page of rhe burden·sharing book.
The Marshall pian had been the consequcnce of rhc chinking dutt conllicrs çan be
resolved upsrream, climinaring che condirions rhac could give cause co violence.
The permanent idea of withdrnwal from Europe, was contralilcred by rhe feel·
ing chac che defencc of che Unircd Srarcs in rhac scenario was chrough che defence
of Wesre.rn Europe and by che acrual fan of an imbalance of power in favouc of
the Sovict Union. This evaluation led co che dcvdopmcnt of rhe massive nuclear
srracegy; ali che machinery of rhe dererrenc hns domlnaced che chinking of our days.
In che mellncime nuclear paricy has led ro che Òexible response, and conveorional
forces, caking advanrnge of che emerging ccchnologics, ho.ve become much more
imporro ne chan chey were in the rccenc pasc. rhc Arnericans in E1.1rope being hoscagcs
(or the common defence of Western Civilizacion,
l ha ve rttade this long and generai description just ro look for my own refer·
ences when prcparing chis pccsentacion. l didn't explicidy mcncion some evems
or milescones tbac determined rhe E1.1ro·Arlantic relacions, during and afcer che war,
sucb as:
che Arlantic Charrer of Augusc 194 1 char fixed che prindples or che objcctivcs
in che conduce of war suc.h as che non froncier modification againsc che peo·