U.S. Alli and Def Diplo E Asia

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

The security environment in East Asia is under tremendous pressure driven by the growth and modernization of the People’s Republic of China’s military power along with its coercive application throughout the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has developed an increasingly capable nuclear program, including short-, medium-, and long-range missiles capable of targeting U.S. and allied interests throughout the entire region along with the U.S. homeland. While waging a war with Ukraine, Russia is intensifying its nuclear saber-rattling and strengthening its military ties with the DPRK. At the center of the U.S. response to these threats in East Asia has been the use of defense diplomacy to manage and modernize its patchwork of alliance relationships. This course examines the history and current challenges facing U.S. alliances in East Asia from the perspective of practitioners, blending an exploration of alliance theories with their practical application in Washington,Tokyo, and Seoul. The goal is provide an understanding of the current environment through the lens of U.S. alliance managers along with an appreciation of the opportunities and constraints associated with managing U.S. security alliances.