Paths to Peace Domestic Coalition Shifts, War Termination and the Korean War [Hardcover]

Paths to Peacebegins by developing a theory about the domestic obstacles to making peace and the role played by shifts in states' governing coalitions in overcoming these obstacles. In particular, it explains how the longer the war, the harder it is to end, because domestic obstacles to peace become institutionalized over time. Next, it tests this theory with a mixed methods approachthrough historical case studies and quantitative statistical analysis. Finally, it applies the theory to an in-depth analysis of the ending of the Korean War. By analyzing the domestic politics of the war's major combatantsthe Soviet Union, the United States, China, and North and South Koreait explains why the final armistice terms accepted in July 1953 were little different from those proposed at the start of negotiations in July 1951, some 294,000 additional battle-deaths later.

Paths to Peaceis an outstanding work on a very important subjecthow wars come to an end. Well-informed and well-written, the book should be of great interest to all scholars and students of international relations and the domestic politics of war and peace. Important book .... A most useful addition to the literature on the Korean War. Stanley's book is the best scholarly analysis and revision so far of the bargaining model of war termination. Paths to Peacedevelops a theory about the domestic obstacles to peace in interstate warsand the role of domestic leadership changes in overcoming these obstaclesand it tests this theory in historical case studies of the Korean War and statistical analysis of interstate wars since 1862.Elizabeth A. Stanley is Assistant Professor of Security Studies in Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Government. She is co-editor, with Risa Brooks, ofCreating Military Power: The Sources of Military Effectiveness(Stanford, 2007). Why do some belligerents choose to end costly wars, while othel“¡