Figure 1.--This is a school photo taken in Bielendorf during 1929. At the time it was a part of Germany. Now it is called Bielice in Poland. The town is located in Silesia which arguably is the most fought over province in modern Europe. While the European powers fought repeatedly wars over Silesia and other small provinces, geography ordained that two countries on the periphery of the European power struggle (America and Russia) became continental powers. There was no great power to impede Russia's expansion east and America's expansion west.

"Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island; who rules the World-Island commands the world."

-- Halford J. Mackinder

Geopolitics became important long before the term appeared. It is no accident that river valleys became the cradles of civilization and the most valuable land for long periods. Carthage and Rome were both placed at important locations to dominate the Mediterranean and Sicily became a fought over province into modern times (Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Saracens, Normans, and Spanish as well as finally the Allies and Axis in World War II). The European maritime outburst came from Western Europe, the countries facing the Atlantic Ocean a major factor in the decline of the Ottoman Empire. And from that point the European naval powers sought to control vital locations such as Panama, Suez, the Straits of Malaca, and the Cape of Good Hope. England used its position at Gibraltar and Malta to control the Mediterranean. For America, control of New Orleans at the mouth of the Mississippi was vital. The Germans after unification (1871) were mesmerized by geopolitical theorists who developed the theory that industrialized Germany needed the resources of the East. Both the Tsars and Stalin were intent on dominating the Ukraine with its agriculture and vital resources. This set in motion both Stalin's Ukranian Famine and the bloody World War II struggle on the Eastern Front between NAZI Germany and the Soviet Union. Surely the most important impact of geography was the formation of the modern superpowers. While Europe fractured into nation states were locked in interminable wars over tiny provinces like Silesia. Russia and America were able to conquer vast territory with little or no opposition, Russia expanded east and America expanded west. This was just the opposite of what occurred in China which was united during the ancient era. Here other factors than geography seem responsible. In modern times the English Channel meant that Britain could act tp prevent any one European power (Spain, France, and Germany) from becoming dominant, but this was not the case in ancient times. In modern times a debate has arisen between the advocates of sea power and land power. The Mahanian thesis is that national prosperity and global power are directly-dependent upon controlling the world's oceans through a dominant battle fleet, a strong merchant marine, and strategic overseas bases. 【Mahan】 The Mackinder land power thesis coming a generation later focuses on an inland world island, the great pivot area. He argued, "What if the Great Continent, the whole World-Island or a large part of it, were at some future time to become a single and united base of sea-power? Would not the other insular bases be outbuilt as regards ships and outmanned as regards seamen? Their fleets would no doubt fight with all the heroism begotten of their histories, but the end would be fated." 【Mackinder】 The Mongols conquered he World Island , nut never developing a naval capability. Two men in more recent history (Napoleon and Hitler) came very close to mastering the World Island of Eurasia, but not the needed seapower. Countless historians sand popular authors today insist that Hitler never could have defeated the Soviet Union. This is because the defeat of the NAZIs was such an apocalyptic disaster. This was not the view of contemporary observers (1941-42) including Stalin who almost abandoned Moscow (November 1941). American and British generals thought the Soviets were going to fall. And an important geopolitical writing at the time believed Hitler came very close to success. 【Spykman】

Sources

Mackindedr, Halford John. Democratic ideals and reality; a study in the politics of reconstruction (Scholar's Choice Edition).

Mahan, Alfred Thayer. The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783 (1890).

Spykman, Nicholas John. The Geography of the Peace (1943). Spykman was a naturalized U.S. citizen born in the Netherlands. At the time he wrote his seminal work, his homeland was occupied by by he NAZIs.

Created: 7:10 PM 2/27/2018
Last updated: 8:23 AM 8/11/2026