Where the balance of power between or among states is equal and constant, war is never a rational choice for the states involved. On the other hand, when the balance of power between nations is so great that some countries dominate the balance of power, conflicts are likely to arise aimed at restoring the balance of equality between states. The reason is that normally the expected benefits of war must exceed the costs of war (Conference, August 2016). This is exactly what happened in Europe among the great powers, leading to the First World War. This careful balance of military, economic and political power between European states served as a prelude to World War I by preparing nations for any eventuality, after noting the rise of fascist Germany and its strong alliances with Russia and the France. According to Froomkin, after the end of the domination of Europe by the French Napoleons, there was a race toward maintaining a system of political and military balance called the balance of power. It specifically aimed to maintain international order by making it difficult for any nation-state to use its power to dominate others within the imperial system. In this way, it was thought that nations would not attempt to expand militarily for fear of retaliation by other states.