Date of Award/Publication

5-3-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. in International Studies

Department

International Studies

Abstract

The premise of this paper is that following the Second World War, it has been necessary for the United States to pursue a policy of coalition-building before intervening militarily in instances of aggression against a state outside of the Western Hemisphere. In the cases of the Korean War, the Persian Gulf War, and the current war on terrorism the US was able to successfully act against aggression because it had been given sanction to do so in the court of international public opinion. Failing to build a consensus would have resulted in a backlash against the US that would have seriously hampered its ability to resist aggression. Thus, failed unilateral interventions, such as America's involvement in Vietnam, can be better understood against the backdrop of the Korean War, the Persian Gulf War, and the war on terrorism.

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COinS