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Shields of the Republic: The Triumph and Peril of America's Alliances
Is America's alliance system so quietly effective that politicians and voters fail to appreciate its importance in delivering the security they take for granted?
For the first century and a half of its existence, the United States had just one alliance--a valuable but highly controversial military arrangement with France. Largely out of deference to George Washington's warnings against the dangers of "entangling alliances," subsequent American presidents did not consider entering another until the Second World War. Then everything suddenly changed. Between 1948 and 1955, US leaders extended defensive security guarantees to twenty-three countries in Europe and Asia. Seventy years later, the United States had allied with thirty-seven.
In Shields of the Republic, Mira Rapp-Hooper reveals the remarkable success of America's unprecedented system of alliances. During the Cold War, a grand strategy focused on allied defense, deterrence, and assurance helped to keep the peace at far lower material and political costs than its critics allege. When the Soviet Union collapsed, however, the United States lost the adversary the system was designed to combat. Its alliances remained without a core strategic logic, leaving them newly vulnerable.
Today the alliance system is threatened from without and within. China and Russia seek to break America's alliances through conflict and non-military erosion. Meanwhile, US politicians and voters are increasingly skeptical of alliances' costs and benefits and believe we may be better off without them. But what if the alliance system is a victim of its own quiet success? Rapp-Hooper argues that America's national security requires alliances that deter and defend against military and non-military conflict alike. The alliance system is past due for a post-Cold War overhaul, but it remains critical to the country's safety and prosperity in the 21st century.
For the first century and a half of its existence, the United States had just one alliance--a valuable but highly controversial military arrangement with France. Largely out of deference to George Washington's warnings against the dangers of "entangling alliances," subsequent American presidents did not consider entering another until the Second World War. Then everything suddenly changed. Between 1948 and 1955, US leaders extended defensive security guarantees to twenty-three countries in Europe and Asia. Seventy years later, the United States had allied with thirty-seven.
In Shields of the Republic, Mira Rapp-Hooper reveals the remarkable success of America's unprecedented system of alliances. During the Cold War, a grand strategy focused on allied defense, deterrence, and assurance helped to keep the peace at far lower material and political costs than its critics allege. When the Soviet Union collapsed, however, the United States lost the adversary the system was designed to combat. Its alliances remained without a core strategic logic, leaving them newly vulnerable.
Today the alliance system is threatened from without and within. China and Russia seek to break America's alliances through conflict and non-military erosion. Meanwhile, US politicians and voters are increasingly skeptical of alliances' costs and benefits and believe we may be better off without them. But what if the alliance system is a victim of its own quiet success? Rapp-Hooper argues that America's national security requires alliances that deter and defend against military and non-military conflict alike. The alliance system is past due for a post-Cold War overhaul, but it remains critical to the country's safety and prosperity in the 21st century.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published June 9, 2020
16 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 25, 2021
Hooper makes a compelling case for a reformed US alliance system suitable to the evolving geopolitical threats of the 21st century. The use of counterfactuals to compensate what would otherwise look like a lousy cost-benefit analysis throughout the book is persuasive. Great addition to any policy wonk's shelf.
August 22, 2020
An accessible and succinct evaluation of the past, present, and future of America's alliances. Through a counter factual analysis, Rapp-Hooper convincingly demonstrates the successes and value of America's alliances and dispels notions of entangling relations having dragged America into war or allies not "paying their fair share" as the President has claimed. Acknowledging the Cold War context in which America's contemporary system of alliances was developed, largely oriented around containing and combatting Soviet influence, Rapp-Hooper discusses the reorientation of America's alliances which would best address novel and ever-changing 21st century security threats.
November 26, 2020
Solid overview of the alliance system. It deals with growing disenfranchisement head on, and makes a compelling case for why the naysayers are obviously wrong on the cost of alliances.
The book can, at times, read more like a dissertation turned book, and may not be accessible to all readers—especially those who lack a formal background in international affairs. But that is unlikely the target audience.
For those well versed in international affairs, the book offers a clear defense of alliances, justifies the need in the 21st century, and articulates a solid rebuttal to attacks on the alliance system.
The book can, at times, read more like a dissertation turned book, and may not be accessible to all readers—especially those who lack a formal background in international affairs. But that is unlikely the target audience.
For those well versed in international affairs, the book offers a clear defense of alliances, justifies the need in the 21st century, and articulates a solid rebuttal to attacks on the alliance system.
April 14, 2024
Rapp-Hooper's writing is succinct, elegant, and well-researched.
"Shields of the Republic" provides an analysis of the past US alliances, arguing that the far from being taken advantage of, the US has historically drawn significant benefits from carefully designed alliances. Rapp-Hooper's work rebuffs the logic of isolationism and rosy retrospection, making the case that alliances should be adapted to meet the challenges of competitive coercion in the modern international system.
I enjoyed her writing and felt I learned a lot as well.
"Shields of the Republic" provides an analysis of the past US alliances, arguing that the far from being taken advantage of, the US has historically drawn significant benefits from carefully designed alliances. Rapp-Hooper's work rebuffs the logic of isolationism and rosy retrospection, making the case that alliances should be adapted to meet the challenges of competitive coercion in the modern international system.
I enjoyed her writing and felt I learned a lot as well.
July 1, 2020
Instant classic. The previous standard books analyzing alliances were published in the 20th century. This very well written, efficient, compact book not only defines the purpose and success of alliances in the Cold War and after it, but proposes an agenda to revitalize alliances in the face of twin threats of withering from within and great-power competition from without.
Exceptional book for anyone wanting to learn or teach about alliances and their role in US strategy--past and future.
Exceptional book for anyone wanting to learn or teach about alliances and their role in US strategy--past and future.
July 11, 2021
Very useful review of America's alliance systems, their different purposes. Contains useful hypotheticals on how events might have developed with earlier alliances, as well as some strong recommendations for how to modernize America's defense relationships.
November 22, 2020
REVIEW FORTHCOMING
May 21, 2021
A very timely read in today’s geopolitical context when The US which is the preeminent power in many dimensions is reassessing it’s grand strategy. As it’s share of global GDP diminishes it’s unclear whether it will continue to shoulder the burden of maintaining international peace and stability or whether it might instead pursue a narrower AMerica First approach to protecting its interests.
MRH (the author)’s work fills a scholarly gap and argues that alliances & forward defense, which achieves deterrence is the US 1st line of defense in vital regions where it lacks geographic reach. The author argues that the costs saving from relinquishing the policy of forward defense is not only offset by additional dollars spent on defence and that we are unable to quantify the precise costs or damage accrued if the US did not have in place it’s alliance architecture.
While the author does touch on Asia, acknowledging the existing hubs and spokes systemic bilateral treaties, I wish her recommendations had touched more on ASEAN regionalism. Noticeably the term the Indo Pacific region was missing from the book. As the priority strategic theatre of the US where it has to exert more effort galvanizing alliances and maintaining a presence in the South China Sea (arguably the largest flashpoint in Asia), it is a wonder why more thought to that topic was not given.
MRH (the author)’s work fills a scholarly gap and argues that alliances & forward defense, which achieves deterrence is the US 1st line of defense in vital regions where it lacks geographic reach. The author argues that the costs saving from relinquishing the policy of forward defense is not only offset by additional dollars spent on defence and that we are unable to quantify the precise costs or damage accrued if the US did not have in place it’s alliance architecture.
While the author does touch on Asia, acknowledging the existing hubs and spokes systemic bilateral treaties, I wish her recommendations had touched more on ASEAN regionalism. Noticeably the term the Indo Pacific region was missing from the book. As the priority strategic theatre of the US where it has to exert more effort galvanizing alliances and maintaining a presence in the South China Sea (arguably the largest flashpoint in Asia), it is a wonder why more thought to that topic was not given.
July 7, 2020
Highly interesting
Excellent analysis of the meaning and benefits oficiales alliances. Recommend its reading, because you learn about the past and can foresee the future.
Excellent analysis of the meaning and benefits oficiales alliances. Recommend its reading, because you learn about the past and can foresee the future.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews