United States Alliances With Australia and Japan in the Twenty-First Century: a Look At United States Grand Strategy For the Greater Asia-Pacific Region

Author

Samuel R. Wood

Date of Graduation

Fall 2005

Degree

Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies

Department

Defense and Strategic Studies

Committee Chair

C. Walton

Abstract

The ongoing long-term military deployments in the Middle East and Central Asia to combat terror have severely strained U.S. resources. Given long-term U.S. geostrategic constraints, helping key allies in various regions of the world is vital to keeping the U.S. military from being over-extended. Currently, the United States lacks a significant presence in the Southwest Pacific and Southeast Asia regions, and needs a strong and dependable partner in Northeast Asia. In the greater Asia-Pacific region, the United States needs to consider its relations with Australia and Japan, and their continued importance as strategic partners. In the past these alliances remained strong because of shared common values and the threat posed by Soviet communism. The international political situation has changed the fragmenting of the Soviet Union. As in the past, there are shared common values, namely democracy and free-markets; however, the Soviet Union is no longer a threat. This does not, however, mean that the United States’ alliances with Australia and Japan are no longer necessary. There is still a great need for these alliances, but they must be redirected toward the new threats of terrorism and China’s ongoing military buildup.

Keywords

alliances, Asia-Pacific, Australia, China, Japan, terrorism, United States grand strategy

Subject Categories

Defense and Security Studies

Copyright

© Samuel R. Wood

Recommended Citation

Wood, Samuel R., "United States Alliances With Australia and Japan in the Twenty-First Century: a Look At United States Grand Strategy For the Greater Asia-Pacific Region" (2005). MSU Graduate Theses. 1406.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1406