To achieve or maintain power, it is necessary to impose one's beliefs or control on others. While that statement may sound extreme, consider what happens in any democratic election. Imagine that you are a candidate for a local office. Since you are running, you of course believe that you will do a better job in that office than your opposition. But what you believe does not gain you votes; you need to make others in your community believe the same thing. Otherwise, you will not win the election, and thus, gain power.

Of course, sometimes the need to impose one's beliefs forces one to go beyond mere persuasion. Suppose again that you cannot convince as many people to support you as you had hoped. Perhaps you might first change your method of persuasion by giving new reasons why you are better than your opposition. When that still is not effective, you might decide to start on the offensive, attacking your opposition by undermining their credibility and sullying their image. If you do that, tensions, no doubt, would mount between you and your opposition.

In the delicate and complex matter of foreign affairs, tensions often mount over the actions and policies of nations. When the tensions escalate to a high and issues are still not resolved to the satisfaction of the parties involve, threats are issued. Threats can come in many forms, Economic restrictions, for example, were used by the West against Japan in World War II as they attempted to take over Asia. The ultimate threat, however, is the threat of war.

War is the ultimate show of power, for it hangs in the balance lives of tens of thousands -- even millions -- of people. The reasons for warfare is simple: to the victor goes the spoils. The conflict and tensions are resolved by force; the one who wins is able to demand anything from the loser: land, resources, etc.

In the 20th century, war would no longer be limited to one region. The development of new and very effective weapons meant that those with the technology and resources, as well as the sheer will to conquer, would have a better chance of prevailing. War was also no longer limited to the combatting sides, for foreigners could wage in on one side or another and change completely the dynamics of the conflict. Thus the 20th century saw the first global war, and another to follow in its aftermath.

This section will showcase several conflicts in Asia, to help you understand more about the power struggles among Asian nations that have manifested themselves in the battlefield, as well as the role of non-Asian nations in these same conflicts.