Final Strategy: The Post-War Grand Strategic Designs of Henry L. Stimson

Few men arguably shaped the trajectory of American foreign policy in the twentieth century as durably and profoundly as Henry L. Stimson. After all, Stimson was not only directly involved in many consequential decisions dealing with highly important matters of war and peace, but was also a major influence in the United States’ more proactive involvement in extra-territorial affairs. For Stimson, it was simply wishful thinking to presume that the United States could forever disengage itself from far-reaching occurrences in other parts of the globe. Accordingly, he thought it just as critical to anticipate international problems as it was to successfully resolve them afterwards, with the result that he became an ardent and early proponent of a much more sophisticated global strategy after the Second World War. In that context, however, most historians have primarily focused on Stimson's role in the development and use of the atomic bomb against Imperial Japan, though arguably less on his more sweeping grand strategic designs. Consequently, the present article will attempt to offer a more comprehensive analysis of Stimson's grand strategic designs, particularly as they related to his vision and reflections on the necessary ingredients of a more peaceful, stable and secure interstate system.     

Proximity and the trust formation process

Trust is a key mechanism for explaining the ease and frequency of knowledge spillovers within regions. While the importance of trust is virtually uncontested, there have been few attempts to rigorously disentangle the way in which trust formation is related to space and proximity. The aim of this paper is to advance the understanding of trust formation in terms of its main antecedents within the context of regional studies. This is done by reviewing the rich literature on trust formation from psychology, sociology, and organization studies and connecting it conceptually to different types of proximity. In doing so, the paper maps out a number of avenues for future research on trust and geography.     

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's effort of retreat and the ending of the East Asian War

Abstract

During the second stage of the East Asian War, Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豐臣秀吉 hopefully sought to make an honorable exit, but the Choson 朝鮮 formulated a unique diplomatic strategy that brought the Ming to the battlefield, and there was no way for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's retreat and attempts at peace talks to be successful. In the end, the war concluded with Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death from illness and the retreat of the Japanese army in defeat, and the international order established between China and Korea was maintained.     

Has the euro sustainably increased home price co‐movement?

A low level of co‐movement between different euro country housing markets creates difficulties for the ECB in setting monetary policy. Such co‐movement across eurozone countries has been the subject of a number of studies, using different methodologies and finding mixed results. In this study, we use endogenous break methods to explicitly test for whether the introduction of the euro has changed home value co‐movement. We also employ informal correlation analysis. Endogenous break results indicate no sustainable increase in co‐movement attributable to the euro, whereas correlation analysis is suggestive of a decrease in synchronization since the currency's introduction.     

The ICC pre-trial chamber decision on jurisdiction over the situation in Myanmar

The transfer and deportation of ethnically Rohingya people from Myanmar into Bangladesh is a crime against humanity demanding an international response. What role, however, should the International Criminal Court (ICC) play? On 6 September 2018 an ICC Pre-Trial Chamber ruled that the Court has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute such crimes as they are completed on the territory of a State party, Bangladesh. Myanmar is not a party to ICC Statute and has invoked the principle that treaties do not bind third parties without their consent. The case put in this commentary is that while the Pre-Trial Chamber’s approach to the law was arguable as an interpretation of the ICC Statute, it was unwise as a matter of policy. The argument is threefold. First, the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling is as a matter of legal method only the first-move in a process of norm-creation and persuasion. Second, it does not follow that because territorial jurisdiction in international law includes ‘objective’ jurisdiction over transboundary acts completed on a State’s territory that such jurisdiction was delegated by member States to the ICC in all cases. Finally, it is argued that international criminal tribunals do not succeed when the cooperation of necessary territorial governments (here, Myanmar) is withheld. Proceeding in this case risks becoming a quagmire of the ICC’s own creation at a time when it can little afford further risks to its legitimacy.     

戴维·J.希尔和他的《欧洲外交史》

活跃在19、20世纪之交的美国传奇式人物戴维·J.希尔集多种身份于一身,而他最为后人记取的是他在国际关系学科领域的开创性成就。他所著的《欧洲外交史》三卷,是欧美学界的第一部国际关系史通史著作,极大地推动了19、20世纪之交欧美国际关系学科的兴起。该著作既清晰描绘了1800多年间欧洲政治的宏观轨迹,又生动展示了欧洲国际关系进程的丰富画面。它具有以下几个突出的特点:对历史主线的精当把握、对历史偶然因素的深刻揭示、对文献资料的广泛挖掘以及清新活泼的写作手法。这些特点使该著作成为国际关系史学的不朽经典。     

穿行在传统与现代之间的贵州新学——《新学入黔：贵州近代教育的源流与发展》序

近代"新学"的传播一方面与"西学"的挑激与引进有关,一方面也与儒家传统内部变革思想的高涨紧密相联.就"新学"入黔并逐渐本土化的具体过程而言,无论国家权力系统或地方知识精英,都发挥了主导性的范约作用,并构成了错综复杂的知识格局.严修、李端菜、张之洞、粱启超四人,虽然他们最终的价值选择不尽相同,但均一度徘徊或游离于传统与现代之间,直接间接地影响了黔地"新学"的传播,值得以个案的方式认真加以研究.地方精英华之鸿创办文通书局,在"新学"的传播史上可说是厥功甚伟.抗日战争时期大批外省高校内迁贵州从事讲学科研活动,则标志着地方文化的现代性转型进入了"质"的飞跃发展阶段.     

旅游地可持续生计：国际研究进展评述及其对中国的启示

系统梳理总结旅游地可持续生计的国际研究进展,对我国未来旅游地可持续生计研究具有重要启示与借鉴。文章基于Web of Science检索工具,对旅游地可持续生计的相关外文文献进行归纳与评述,在辨析可持续生计概念及分析框架的基础上,从脆弱性背景、生计资本评估、生计策略转型、结构与制度及生计结果五个方面总结了旅游发展对目的地可持续生计的影响作用,并进一步从旅游地可持续生计与生态保护及文化遗产发展之间的作用关系、旅游地可持续生计的适应性与恢复力等方面全面回顾了旅游地可持续生计与社会—生态系统协同发展的相关研究。基于旅游地可持续生计的国际研究述评,文章进一步展望了未来我国旅游地可持续生计研究的重点与方向。     

Turning International: Foundations of Modern International Thought and New Paradigms for Intellectual History

Summary

This essay provides an overview of the disciplinary and analytical significance of David Armitage's Foundations of Modern International Thought in the context of the new international history, and the so-called ‘international turn’. It then goes on to discuss the significance of the absence of women in this new sub-field of intellectual history.     

Thomas Hobbes as a Theorist of Anarchy: A Theological Interpretation

Summary

Scholars of international relations generally invoke Hobbes as the quintessential theorist of international anarchy. David Armitage challenges this characterisation, arguing that Hobbes is regarded as a foundational figure in international relations theory in spite of as much as because of what he wrote on the subject. Thus, for Armitage, Hobbes is not the theorist of anarchy that he is made out to be. This article agrees with the general thrust of Armitage's critique while maintaining that it is still possible to imagine Hobbes as a theorist of anarchy. Hobbes is a theorist of anarchy, not in a political sense, but in a metaphysical sense. This conception of anarchy is a reflection of a comprehensive theological account of reality that is grounded in an omnipotent God. Any historical inquiry into the foundations of modern international thought must take account of theology, because theology defines the ultimate coordinates of reality in terms of which the concepts of international thought are intelligible.