Diplomatic History Commons^™

Hiroshima And The Birth Of The Perilous Present, Scott M. White

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article explores how the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 not only marked a transformative moment in military and political history but also set a lasting precedent for modern global risk. By examining the implications of Hiroshima, this paper will delve into how the initial decision to use nuclear force instigated a high-stakes period of unprecedented risk management that extends to today's geopolitics, nuclear proliferation, and even international policy on climate and technology. This article will argue that the atomic history of Hiroshima established the world’s first encounter with existential weaponry and its accompanying ethical challenges, thereby laying the …

Lines In The Sky: American Air Defense Strategy 1950-1958, Jacob A. Battle

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In August 1949, the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb, abruptly ending the American monopoly on nuclear weapons. While many in the Truman administration had believed that no other nation could construct the bomb, war planners were now faced with the possibility of an "atomic Pearl Harbor". In response, NSC-68 would be published, granting an unprecedented level of attention and investment to developing air defense measures. Throughout the following decade, new command structures coincided with rapid developments in radar, aircraft, and missile technology. Furthermore, the development of the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) integrated radar, interceptors, and Nike missile systems …

Cold War Origins: The Iron Curtain Descends, I. B. Landry

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The West’s policy of containment would come to define the early years of the Cold War. Rooted in the communist takeover of Russia following the First World War, Soviet aggression was fostered under the leadership of Stalin, who envisioned global domination under communism. Thus, while tensions came to a head following World War II, evidence for an eventual clash of ideologies can be seen in its preceding years.

America’S Best Idea: The Separation Of Church And State, A Review, Michael A. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article critically assesses Randall Balmer’s America’s Best Idea, a historical and legal examination of the Jeffersonian principle of church-state separation. Drawing on Jefferson’s 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists and Roger Williams’ earlier theological insights, Balmer frames the metaphorical “wall” as both a constitutional safeguard and cultural cornerstone. The review analyzes the book’s treatment of evolving Supreme Court jurisprudence, particularly the shift from strict separationism to accommodationism in recent decisions. It contextualizes this legal transformation within the broader rise of Christian Nationalism, examining the ideological and institutional pressures reshaping civic discourse. While affirming Balmer’s historical rigor and rhetorical …

The Architects Of Consensus: Propaganda, Patriotism, And The Owi’S Battle For The American Mind, Ryan G. Fix

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

During World War II, the Office of War Information (OWI) became the United States' most sophisticated domestic propaganda agency, charged with forging national unity in the face of global conflict. This paper explores how the OWI fused federal authority with private-sector cooperation to influence public sentiment through film, advertising, journalism, and rumor control. Rather than resorting to direct censorship, the agency relied on voluntary collaboration, emotional appeal, and strategic framing to shape a coherent narrative that blurred the line between democratic persuasion and ideological management. Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources, including internal memos, field reports, and public …

Historiography Of The Medieval Tournament: How The Study Of Jousting Reflects Medieval Studies, Maddux L. Mullinax

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In the modern age, sports are more than just athletes on a field in front of screaming fans; instead, they are dynamic showcases of strategic prowess, cultural expression, and societal values. Long before stadiums and sports arenas became the centers of competition and entertainment, medieval tournaments enthralled audiences with their unique blend of martial skill and pageantry. From the electrifying clash of a joust to the elaborate courtly dances, the history of the tournament weaves a vivid tapestry of medieval life. This merging of chivalry and combat creates an enduring spectacle that has captivated historians and enthusiasts for centuries. The …

The British Invasion Of Tea: How Advertising Wars Influenced America's Tea Drinking Habbits, Maddux L. Mullinax

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This paper examines the historical shift in American tea consumption from green to black tea during the early to mid-20th century. Initially, green tea from China and Japan was predominant in the U.S. until the 1920s. The transformation to black tea was spearheaded by British tea growers from India, notably through the strategic marketing efforts of Sir Charles Higham and the India Tea Growers Association (ITGA). Their campaigns focused on aligning black tea with American tastes, distancing it from its British colonial connotations, and leveraging global trade dynamics. The influence of World War II further entrenched black tea's dominance, with …

To The Shores Of Tripoli: America’S First Crusade To Cement Her Sovereignty, I. B. Landry

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The First Barbary War, also known as the Tripolitan War, is the conflict that set the tone for American sovereignty. The results of this research show that the Tripolitan War was about more than simply America’s right to exercise trade freely in the Mediterranean and North Africa. This was, in a sense, the litmus test for the new nation that would prove to be challenging to its Christian values. It can be concluded that Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the Augustinian campaign to not only benefit America, but all parties wishing to operate in the Mediterranean freely.

Histography: Gerald Ford And The Pardon Of Nixon, Joshua Longmire Phd

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In the annals of American political discourse, President Gerald Ford's decision on September 8, 1974, to grant his predecessor, Richard Nixon, a presidential pardon emerges as a watershed moment. This act insulated Nixon—who was deeply entangled in the intricate web of the Watergate scandal—from prospective criminal prosecution. It represented a significant departure from the anticipated legal processes, especially in the immediate aftermath of Ford's unexpected elevation to the presidency following Nixon's precipitous resignation amidst impending impeachment. This essay seeks to navigate the evolving historiographical landscape of Ford's pardon. It delineates the trajectory from initial critiques to the multifaceted discourses of …

After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Battle of the River Berre, occurring in the years after the Battle of Tours, has not seen the same amount of scholarship as that defining battle of the century in Europe. The Umayyad Caliphate in Iberian continue to conduct military operations on the east side of the Pyrenees, controlling Narbonne and most of the province of Septimania, south of Aquitaine and west of Lombardy in the years after. The expansion of the Caliphate had continued almost unabated since 632 CE, controlling Arabia, Persia, the Near East, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa, and finally, the Iberian Peninsula. This astonishing expansion …

Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise And Fall Of Dispensationalism: How The Evangelical Battle Over The End Times Shaped A Nation: A Review, Michael A. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This review examines Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, a comprehensive intellectual and cultural history tracing the origin and evolution of dispensationalist theology within Anglo-American Evangelicalism. Despite its dismissal as fringe eschatology, Hummel argues that Dispensationalism significantly shaped the Evangelical imagination and broader American culture. The review summarizes the book's key themes and highlights strengths such as scope and balance while suggesting areas for further consideration regarding transatlantic origins and minor factual errors. It concludes that Hummel provides an insightful, measured analysis of this resilient and controversial belief system but dismisses the theological movement as dead …

Cuba And The United States In The Platt Amendment Period: Perception And Intent, Lee Carter

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The relationship between Cuba and the United States continues to perplex many Americans in the twenty-first century. How can a nation so nearby, that was once so closely tied to the United States, be so antagonistic towards the United States? This study will trace the perceptions, over time, of the United States-Cuba relationship during the early Cuban Republic (1902-1934), a time period in which the United States maintained a controlling relationship defined under the Platt Amendment. In this process, the Cuban perceptions of the relationship will be considered, specifically noting differences of views among different social statuses and perspectives. Then, …

Georgia And Russia: A Tenuous Relationship, Ani Rostomyan

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

In 1801, the Tsar of Russia signed a decree in order to incorporate Georgia into the Russian empire. The decree was very unpopular among the Georgians and caused much unrest. After 1905, Joseph Stalin, a Georgian, became a revolutionary in the country and eventually lead the Soviet Union. In 1922, the Soviet Union forced Georgia to be a part of a Socialist Republic with its surrounding countries, upending the local population and disrupting historic boundary lines. Despite many religious and cultural similarities, Russia’s rule was deemed erratic and domineering. Unfortunately, being ruled under Communism caused the country to become extremely …

Short-Term Success: The 1988 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit, Samantha Foster

Senior Honors Theses

The 1988 summit in Moscow was the fourth, and final, summit meeting between U.S. President, Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev. The principal issues addressed during the summit included human rights and arms control. This event was the first time that President Reagan visited the Soviet Union and thus took time to explore Moscow by visiting a monastery, Red Square, Arbat Street, and students at Moscow State University. The summit would be considered a success after its close, as the INF Treaty was ratified and further progress in the area of human rights in Soviet Union had been …

Gaijin Shogun: The Effectiveness Of Macarthur In The Early Stages Of The Military Occupation Of Japan, Jack Cashion

Senior Honors Theses

In the aftermath of World War II, the Allied powers occupied Germany and Japan to ensure a peaceful transition at the end of the war. While the Allies had conquered Germany in its entirety, Japan’s surrender in the wake of the atomic bombs forestalled a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland. President Harry Truman granted General Douglas MacArthur the title of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) when he appointed the general as the leader of America’s occupation force in Japan. As SCAP, MacArthur oversaw the initial years of the reconstruction of Japan and its transition from a war-torn …

The Uss Liberty Incident: Accident Or Intentional Attack, Maximus E. Marlowe

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

When I first heard the story of the USS Liberty I became extremely interested in learning more about the events that transpired and began reading about the incident in my free time. Thus, when I registered for Modern American Military History with Dr. Snead, I was already eager to research this topic.

While my primary fields of study are engulfed in the Colonial American period, I have had a strong interest in American military history since I was a child. This would especially be the case with the U.S. Navy as my father is a retired Naval officer and I …

Bigger Is Better? Re-Evaluating Nato Enlargement In The Post-Cold War Period, Matthew Mccracken

Senior Honors Theses

Since the end of the Cold War, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance has grown substantially from its pre-1990 boundary between the two Germanys to encompass 15 new members with its border pressing eastward toward the former Soviet states and up to Russia proper. At the same time, East-West relations have sunk from a high point in the 1990s to a new low unseen since the Cold War culminating in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Top-ranking officials on both sides of the Atlantic cautioned successive U.S. administrations against heedlessly seeking to admit new members into NATO for fear that it …

A Matter Of Accountability: Communication And Coordination Failures Proceeding Pearl Harbor, Marc C. Jeter

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Abstract

Save for September 11, 2001, arguably no other incident in American history generates persistent and impassioned debate associated with the questions of why and on whom to affix responsibility than does the Pearl Harbor raid. For both Japan and the United States the road to December 7 (or 8^th in Japan), was long and complex. Ensconced within the context of what was underway in Europe, there existed little room for diplomatic miscalculations or missteps. Thus for American civil, military, naval, and diplomatic leaders in Washington, D.C. and throughout the world, that American installations were attacked should not have …

China Containment In East Asia: Preventative Or Provocative?, Rachel Solsman

Senior Honors Theses

Since the end of World War II, the United States has developed and maintained its strategic alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan, and has worked to contain China through bolstering its deterrence strategy. However, after a century of humiliation, China is modernizing its military capabilities, improving in trade, and increasing political cohesion to become a regional hegemon. In light of these changes to the international order, the United States must re-evaluate its East Asian alliances and its current military and economic deterrence strategy against China. This paper will discuss the history of these alliances, the rise of …

Jus Ad Bellum, Natural Law, And The Invasion Of Iraq, Johnny Davis, Johnny B. Davis

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

The thesis is the coalition invasion of Iraq violated international law because it went beyond the limited authority to use force given by United Nations Resolution 144 and violated natural law just war principles. The involvement of the United States not only violated just war principles but the requirements of the United States Constitution because Congress did not declare war as was required. The invasion also went beyond the legal limits imposed by the United States Joint Congressional Resolution authorizing the use passed on 2 October 2002. Further, the invasion was not justified by any prior United Nations resolution nor …

Bridging The Gap: Analyzing The History Of U.S.-Russian Relations Throughout History And The Actions That Would Improve Them, Coleman Anderson

Senior Honors Theses

After the onset of communism in Russia, relations between the United States and Russia have been tense up to the modern day. Even the fall of the Soviet Union could not usher in a permanent peace between the two countries, with mistrust pouring over from both parties. Utilizing both primary sources and commentary from subject matter experts, this paper argues that in order to achieve a legitimate and sustainable policy of peace between the United States and Russia, policymakers need to first understand the history and culture of the people they are reaching out to. Using this knowledge, policymakers can …

Forging Insights: Indian Agency Blacksmiths Of The American Frontier, Adam G. Novey

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Following the War of 1812, the United States government sought to more directly deal with the Native tribes in the American interior. The establishment of Indian agency blacksmith shops was one significant component of this endeavor. While it remains a virtually untouched topic in scholarship, the analysis of agency blacksmith services may reveal significant historical insights within topics as diverse as ethnic perception, material culture, frontier government practices, and language dynamics during a time of great upheaval. This case study of the blacksmith shop at the Fort Winnebago sub-agency in pre-state Wisconsin seeks to demonstrate the manner in which these …

Anglo-Spanish Trade And Diplomacy 1712-1742, Forrest La Jeunesse

Masters Theses

Between the War of Spanish succession till the war of Austrian succession, the British focus shifted from matters of the European Continent towards that of expanding its trade and its commercial empire. With the securing of an important treaty with France, the British were able to seek trading concessions from the Spanish, through diplomacy or war, in order to gain economic dominance in the West Indies. However, unequal and often conflicting interests between the two nations prevented desired expansion into the West Indies for the British, so they sought to exploit vague treaty terms and obligations in order to conduct …

North Korea’S Nuclear Program And Negotiation: How Nuclear Negotiation During The Clinton Years Produced Lessons For Current International Relations, Brian Hilliker

Senior Honors Theses

North Korea’s road of survival began in the aftermath of World War II, when the United States and the Soviet Union sparred over rival ideologies. Ultimately, Korea split into a free south and an authoritarian north. Over seventy years later, North Korea remains a bastion of communism. Nuclear weaponry is a factor behind North Korea’s survival, and the history of their program can offer insight for American policy makers today. This paper offers a history of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program during the Clinton presidency, along with recommendations for present day policy makers. Without an understanding of history decision-makers tend …

America, An Aloof Friend: The Limits Of U.S.-Czechoslovak Relations From Munich To War, Connor Schonta

Masters Theses

Between 1918 and 1938, the United States and Czechoslovakia maintained unique, friendly, and special diplomatic relations. This was mainly due to the two countries’ shared commitment to liberal, democratic values. In 1938, however, Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy came to a head in the form of the Munich Agreement, which not only set Czechoslovakia on a course of destruction but also fundamentally transformed the nature of U.S.-Czechoslovak relations. This study seeks to unpack the development of U.S.-Czechoslovak relations in the eleven months between Munich (October 1938) and the start of World War II (September 1939). During this time, the friendly ties …

Unwritten: The Hidden History Of The Holodomor, Amy Whisman

Masters Theses

Between 1930 and 1933, Joseph Stalin unleashed an assault on Ukraine that resulted in the starvation of 5 million people. Their story went untold for decades. The fact that Soviet propaganda was largely successful in suppressing the truth speaks less to its sophistication than to the gullibility and complicity of Westerners. Although there were truth-tellers from Great Britain, the United States, and even Europe who accurately reported on the Ukrainian famine, Stalin understood that such voices could be effectively neutralized. Because the story of the Holodomor remained essentially unwritten, the West did not recognize it as the legitimate offspring of …

The Policy Regarding Iran: Circumstances Surrounding The Allied Invasion In 1941, Caitlin N. Curtis

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

This paper examines the conjoined Allied occupation of Iran during World War II and the impact the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union had on a new, weak nation. The terms of the occupation were written with the best intentions for Iran but were eventually disregarded. This mixture of a poor execution of treaty terms as well as British, Soviet, and American interests within Iran destroyed the unity it possessed and allowed Russia to extend massive influence over the newly destabilized country. The British wanted to maintain their oil concessions. The Russians desired a warm water port and …

Repeating History: The Ineffectiveness Of The 1973 War Powers Resolution, Kaitlyn N. Schiess

Senior Honors Theses

Reluctant students often criticize the study of history as irrelevant to the present day.

In the case of one important and controversial piece of legislation, nothing could be farther from the truth. The 1973 War Powers Resolution (WPR), which places limits on presidential power to deploy troops in combat situations, has ample application to the political functioning of the United States today. Thus, investigating and studying the resolution remains relevant and important today. The WPR became law in 1973, overcoming a predictable veto by President Nixon. The legislation has consistently been a flashpoint for political controversy – eliciting criticism by …

The Fall Of Kiev, Kevin S. Morrison

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

The Fall of Kiev, is the story about a great city, which on, 6 December 1240 A.D. would fall to the Mongol Hordes. The paper expounds upon the time frame of the prelude, the climax, and the afterward, of Kiev's fall. This paper utilizes scholarly resources from the present day and a very old source, The Hypatian Codex, which is the chronicle of the time period for Rus.

Not Another Cuba: Lyndon Johnson And The Dominican Republic, 1956-66, Andrew T. Murphree

Senior Honors Theses

This Honors Thesis will examine President Lyndon Johnson's foreign policy surrounding America's complex diplomatic relationship with the Dominican Republic throughout the 1960s. Regarded throughout the last few decades as a less dramatic or telegenic study, the Johnson administration's involvement in the Dominican Republic has been largely overlooked and forgotten. In the wake of an emerging third generation of scholarship, historians are now beginning to uncover the intricate entanglement of information and circumstances supporting Johnson's role in establishing the parameters of U.S. Policy.

At the heart of this discussion exists a robust argument currently taking place among scholars who debate the …