Why Nations Go to War

Built around eight case studies, Why Nations Go to War covers the crucial events that led to the outbreak of the 20th century's major military conflicts, with particular focus on the pivotal role leaders play in pushing a nation over the threshold into war. While acknowledging the importance of militarism, nationalism, alliance systems, and economic causes, the author seek to uncover the human dimension behind more mechanistic forces and explanations. Updates and expanded material includes coverage of the recent events in Kosovo, Iraq in the post-Gulf War era, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. For this edition, the chapter on India and Pakistan returns, with new material on recent tensions over nuclear buildup. Five new maps and updated bibliographies are included.