Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Peace through strength
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
==History== The phrase and the concept date to ancient times. [[Roman Emperor]] [[Hadrian]] (AD 76β138) is said to have sought "peace through strength or, failing that, peace through threat."<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gVXFkh-tlBcC |title=Following Hadrian? |author=Elizabeth Speller |publisher=Oxford University Press |date= Oct 14, 2004 |page=69|isbn=9780195176131 }}</ref> [[Hadrian's Wall]] was a symbol of the policy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/mar/14/hadrians-wall-lights-illumination |title=Legions of sightseers attend Hadrian's Wall illumination |author=Martin Wainwright |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |quote=Designed as a symbol of Hadrian's contemporary-sounding policy of "peace through strength", the wall marked the northern frontier of the Roman empire. |date=14 March 2010 |access-date=September 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110083411/http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/mar/14/hadrians-wall-lights-illumination |archive-date=10 November 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> ===United States=== The first [[US president]], [[George Washington]], enunciated a policy of peace through strength in his fifth annual message to Congress, the [[1793 State of the Union Address]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5qvfCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA24 |title=Invitation to Peace Studies |publisher=Oxford University Press |author=Houston Wood |year=2015 |pages=24β25 |isbn=9780190217136 |access-date=April 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/georgewashington0000unse_h3e6/page/24/mode/2up?q=%22peace+through+strength%22 |title=George Washington and the Origins of the American Presidency |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |author=Mark J Rozell |year=2000 |page=24 |isbn=9780275968670 }}</ref> He said: <blockquote>There is a rank due to the United States among nations which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, by the reputation of weakness. If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washs05.asp |title=Fifth Annual Message of George Washington |work=[[1793 State of the Union Address]] |location=Philadelphia |author=[[George Washington]] |date=December 3, 1793 |access-date=April 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416060426/http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washs05.asp |archive-date=April 16, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote> In [[Federalist No. 24]], [[Alexander Hamilton]] argued for peace through strength by stating that strong garrisons in the west and a navy in the east would help to deter potential conflicts with Britain, Spain and various Native American peoples.<ref name=Book5>{{cite book|title=The Federalist Papers|year=1999|publisher=New American Library, a division of Penguin Books|location=New York|isbn=0-451-52881-6|pages=157β158}}</ref> ''Peace Through Strength'' is the motto of the [[Eighth Air Force]], established in 1944. ''Peace Through Strength'' (1952) is the title of a book about a defense plan by [[Bernard Baruch]], a [[World War II]] adviser to US President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], published by [[Farrar, Straus and Young]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5icdAAAAMAAJ|title=Peace through strength: Bernard Baruch and a blueprint for security|first=Morris Victor|last=Rosenbloom|date=1 January 1952|publisher=American Surveys in association with Farrar, Straus and Young, New York|via=Google Books}}</ref> For supporters of the [[MX missile]] in the 1970s, the missile symbolized "peace through strength."<ref>{{cite news |title=Perspective: Cold War Relic; All It Touched Off Was a Debate |author=Fred Kaplan |author-link=Fred Kaplan (journalist) |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=18 September 2005 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE6D81F31F93BA2575AC0A9639C8B63&scp=9&sq=peace%20through%20strength&st=cse |access-date=18 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227233209/https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE6D81F31F93BA2575AC0A9639C8B63&scp=9&sq=peace%20through%20strength&st=cse |archive-date=27 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> ====Republican Party==== During [[Barry Goldwater]]'s 1964 presidential campaign in the United States, the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] spent about $5 million on TV ads promoting Goldwater's foreign policy position of "Peace through Strength."<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iREHODXtO-wC&pg=PA76 |page=76 |title=Posters, Propaganda, and Persuasion in Election Campaigns Around the World and Through History |author=Steven A. Seidman |publisher=Peter Lang |date=2008 |isbn=9780820486161 |access-date=2016-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103012352/http://books.google.com/books?id=iREHODXtO-wC&pg=PA76 |archive-date=2014-01-03 |url-status=live }}</ref> President [[Gerald Ford]] alluded to the concept in his [[1977 State of the Union Address]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Reporting on the State of the Union|website=The American Presidency Project|date=January 12, 1977|access-date=March 9, 2024|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-the-congress-reporting-the-state-the-union-0}}</ref> In 1980, [[Ronald Reagan]], who had campaigned for Goldwater in 1964, used the phrase during his election challenge against [[Jimmy Carter]] by accusing the incumbent of weak, vacillating leadership that invited enemies to attack the United States and its allies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Politics Starts at the Water's Edge |author1=[[Kiron K. Skinner]] |author2=Serhiy Kudelia |author3=Bruce Bueno de Mesquita |author4=Condoleezza Rice |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=17 September 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/opinion/15skinner.html |access-date=18 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422214645/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/opinion/15skinner.html |archive-date=22 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z0VQ4vFwPU |title=Peace Through Strength (1980 Political Commercial) |publisher=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705170327/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z0VQ4vFwPU |archive-date=2015-07-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> Reagan later considered it one of the mainstays of his foreign policy as president.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan |title=Biography of Ronald Reagan |author=[[White House]] |publisher=[[United States Government]] |access-date=2009-07-19}}</ref> In 1986, he explained it thus: <blockquote>We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington's words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. "To be prepared for war," he said, "is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." Well, to those who think strength provokes conflict, [[Will Rogers]] had his own answer. He said of the world heavyweight champion of his day: "I've never seen anyone insult [[Jack Dempsey]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reagan2020.us/speeches/address_on_national_security.asp|title=Reagan 2020 - Ronald Reagan - Address on National Security|access-date=2012-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009165158/http://reagan2020.us/speeches/address_on_national_security.asp|archive-date=2016-10-09|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote> The approach has been credited for forcing the [[Soviet Union]] to lose the arms race and end the Cold War.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000lars |url-access=registration |title=Historical Dictionary Of Arms Control And Disarmament |author=Jeffrey Arthur Larsen |chapter=Peace through Strength |page=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000lars/page/168 168] |publisher=Scarecrow Press |date=2005}}</ref> "Peace Through Strength" is the official motto of the ''Nimitz''-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, [[USS Ronald Reagan|USS ''Ronald Reagan'']] (CVN-76).<ref>{{cite web|title='Peace Through Strength' - The Official Web Site of CVN 76 USS Ronald Reagan|url=http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn76/Pages/default.aspx|publisher=United States Navy|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005203603/http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn76/Pages/default.aspx|archive-date=October 5, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> "Peace Through Strength" has appeared in every party platform of the Republican Party since 1980.<ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Party Platform of 1980|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25844|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026064027/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25844|archive-date=October 26, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Party Platform of 1984|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25845|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011010329/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25845|archive-date=October 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Party Platform of 1988|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25846|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011004455/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25846|archive-date=October 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Platform of 1992|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011004503/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|archive-date=October 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Party Platform of 1996|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011004503/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|archive-date=October 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Republican Party Platform of 2000|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011004503/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849|archive-date=October 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2008 Republican Party Platform|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=78545|publisher=The American Presidenty Project|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112230334/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=78545|archive-date=November 12, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Republican Platform|title=We Believe in America|url=http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_exceptionalism/|publisher=Republican National Committee|access-date=October 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017010250/http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_Exceptionalism/|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Huntley|first=Steve|title=Romney's Foreign Policy: Peace Through Strength|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/15634669-452/romneys-foreign-policy-promotes-peace-through-strength.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203132948/http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/15634669-452/romneys-foreign-policy-promotes-peace-through-strength.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 3, 2013|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Chicago Sun Times|date=October 8, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Editorial|title=Romney's Peace Through Strength|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/8/romneys-peace-through-strength/|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Washington Times|date=October 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410171856/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/8/romneys-peace-through-strength/|archive-date=April 10, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Walshe|first=Shushannah|title=Paul Ryan Describes Mitt Romney Foreign Policy as the 'Peace Through Strength Doctrine'|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/paul-ryan-says-mitt-romney-foreign-policy-is-peace-through-strength-doctrine/|newspaper=The Note, ABC News|date=September 12, 2012|access-date=June 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111031841/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/paul-ryan-says-mitt-romney-foreign-policy-is-peace-through-strength-doctrine/|archive-date=January 11, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/ted-cruzs-hugely-expensive-plan-for-a-huge-military/462993/ |title=Ted Cruz's Hugely Expensive Plan for a Huge Military |work=[[The Atlantic]] |author=David A. Graham |date=February 16, 2016 |access-date=July 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622225841/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/ted-cruzs-hugely-expensive-plan-for-a-huge-military/462993/ |archive-date=June 22, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-trump-channels-reagan-promising-peace-1481076359-htmlstory.html|title=Trump channels Reagan, promising 'peace through strength'|author=Mark Z. Barabak|date=December 6, 2016|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=December 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211131418/http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-trump-channels-reagan-promising-peace-1481076359-htmlstory.html|archive-date=December 11, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On assuming office in January 2017, [[Donald Trump]] cited the idea of "Peace Through Strength" as central to his overall "America First" foreign policy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-national-security-adviser-says-foreign-policy-will-emphasize-peace-through-strength/2017/01/10/e4652c08-d767-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html |title=Trump's national security adviser says foreign policy will emphasize 'peace through strength' |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |author=Karen DeYoung |date=January 10, 2017 |access-date=January 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118221141/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-national-security-adviser-says-foreign-policy-will-emphasize-peace-through-strength/2017/01/10/e4652c08-d767-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html |archive-date=January 18, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> As such the introduction to US National Defense Strategy of 2018 states: The US force posture combined with the allies will "preserve peace through strength." The document proceeds to detail what "achieving peace through strength requires."<ref>US National Defense Strategy, (Washington: Department of Defense, 2018), p 1, 6, https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018-National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807132339/https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018-National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf |date=2018-08-07 }}</ref> === Taiwan === In [[Taiwan]], "peace through strength" is a slogan of [[Taiwanese nationalism]], meaning to emphasize Taiwan's sovereignty, strengthen its military power, and work with the [[United States]] and [[Japan]] to guard against possible aggression by the [[People's Republic of China]]. [[Lai Ching-te]], the eighth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), emphasized "peace through strength" even before he became president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I'll pursue peace through strength, Lai says |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2024/01/10/2003811874 |date=January 11, 2024 |access-date=November 1, 2024 |website=[[Taipei Times]] }}</ref> On June 19, 2024, president Lai reiterated that "peace must rely on strength, which is to say avoiding war by preparing for war to achieve peace".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Taiwan president says only military strength can keep the peace with China |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-president-says-only-military-strength-can-keep-peace-with-china-2024-06-19/ |date=June 19, 2024 |access-date=November 1, 2024 |website=[[Reuters]] }}</ref>
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)