Int Rel Theo War

76 International Relations Theory of War

4. Seven Weeks’ War (#55), between Italy, Hesse Grand Ducal, Wuert-
   temburg, Bavaria, Austria-Hungary, Prussia, Mecklenburg Schwerin,
   Hesse Electoral, Saxony, Baden, and Hanover (6/15/1866–7/26/1866)


5. Franco-Prussian War (#58), between Wuerttemburg, Baden, Prussia,
   Bavaria, and France (7/19/1870–2/26/1871)

Table 4.1 shows the degree of stability of the multipolar system that
occurred in Eurasia in 1849–1870. This system did not cover the entire
world but represents the international system of that time.

Table 4.1

Stability of the Multipolar System, 1849–1870

Central Wars Great Wars Small Wars Duration
(Days)

Deaths

Total

Crimean War (#22) 861 264,200

Italian Unification War (#28) 75 22,500

Second Schleswig-Holstein

War (#46)

111 4,481

Seven Weeks’ War (#55) 42 44,100

Franco-Prussian War (#58) 223 204,313

The Stability of the Multipolar System, 1910–1945

The multipolar system of 1910–1945 was formed in 1910 when the United
States and Japan entered the great power global game; it ended in 1945 after
the Second World War. That was the first system that ever represented an
“international system.” The system consisted of seven polar powers: the
United States, Russia (later to be the Soviet Union), Germany, Great Britain,
France, Japan, and Italy—the seven great powers that constituted the system.
In that period, 20 wars were fought between countries. This system is the
first system that was not contained to Eurasia and encompassed the whole
world. Therefore, the assessment includes all wars between countries that
were fought worldwide and involved at least one of the seven polar pow-
ers constituting the system. Seven wars were not included in the assess-
ment because they did not involve at least one of the seven polar powers.^20
Thirteen wars were included in the assessment because they involved at
least one polar power of the seven great powers constituting the system:

1. Italian-Turkey War (#97) (9/29/1911–10/18/1912)


2. First World War (#106), between Yugoslavia, Russia, Bulgaria, United
   Kingdom, Japan, Portugal, Turkey, Belgium, Germany, Greece,
   Romania, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, and the United States
   (7/29/1914–11/11/1918)