From the end of the Second World War to the late 1980's, global politics was dominated by superpower concerns. During the Cold War of that period, the United States helped establish a Western alliance to counter the build-up of Soviet military strength in Eastern Europe. A major feature of this alliance was NATO, which was created for the mutual protection of the United States and Western Europe. In addition, the United States developed a post-war alliance with Japan. The U.S./Japan alliance traded U.S. military protection in the Pacific region for Japanese economic cooperation. The late 1980's saw an end to the Cold War and a reduction of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe. Many analysts at the time predicted a substantial loosening, if not disappearance, of the European and Japanese alliances that the United States had forged during the Cold War era. However, Western statesmen have been seeking to maintain, if not enhance, ties within the Western world. Therefore, the Western alliance seems to have been strengthened, rather than depolarized, in the wake of the Cold War.
There are a variety of factors upon which political analysts base their predictions regarding the future of the Western alliance. One consideration is the new international order which is developing in the post-Cold War period. In contrast to the U.S./Soviet superpower dichotomy that existed in the past, future world relations are expected to be multipolar in their orientation. At the same time, however, it is assumed that the United States will continue to play a vital role in terms of world leadership. In particular, the military resources of the United States are still needed for the effective defense of both Western Europe and the Pacific. The United States is also in a position which gives it a special role in terms of economic and political leadership.
Because of the inherent instabilities of a multipolar world, there is a need for the con...