Do international alliances always make the world safer, or can they sometimes lead to more tension?

When safety means losing your rights

In 1956 Hungary tried to leave Warsaw pact and become more independent from Soviet influence. That attempt led to Soviet Union invading Hungary with strong military forces. This shows that powerful countries often use force to protect their interests, and that they show that stronger forces are ready to eliminate everyone who gets in their way.

Alliances are large political groups in which countries cooperate, share resources, and agree to protect each other, but power within them is often unequal. Firstly, when countries form an alliance, there is usually one strong state and several smaller ones. The stronger country often becomes the leader because of its economic and military power, which allows it to influence decisions in its own interest. Secondly, smaller countries usually join alliances for protection and expect support if their security is threatened. However, if helping them is not in the interest of the powerful member, they may not receive the military or financial aid they need. Finally, alliances can pressure weaker countries to accept the policies of stronger states. Even if these rules are presented as necessary or modern, they may not fully suit the smaller country’s needs.

Now I will present several historical examples that show how alliances can affect smaller countries. Firstly, after the terrorist attacks in 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan because they wanted to get rid of terrorism and the Taliban, and as a leading member of NATO, it determined other alliance members to support the war. Smaller countries felt pressure to send soldiers and money, even if they were unsure about the mission, and many of them suffered losses because refusing was not really an option. Secondly, in February 1945 the leaders of the Allied powers met at the Yalta Conference to decide the future of Europe after World War II. Many decisions about Eastern Europe were made without the participation of smaller nations, which allowed the Soviet Union to gain influence over countries like Poland and limit their independence. Finally, a simple movie example can help explain this unfairness of power. Just as the main actor receives most of the attention and control while side actors depend on them, smaller countries in alliances often rely on stronger states and fear opposing them.

In the summary, alliances can provide protection and stability, but they often support stronger countries, leaving smaller members pressured to obey decisions that may not suit their interests. Historical examples, like Hungary in 1956 or smaller NATO members during the Afghanistan war, show that weaker countries are afraid of disobeying stronger forces and face risks while supporting powerful allies. In my opinion, being member of strong allies are good, and they help small countries develop their economy and military, but also, they could lead to discrimination and manipulation of weaker force, that means that smaller members of certain alliance are being used and treated unfairly.