American acts of force: Results and misperceptions.

Abstract

This article examines and evaluates the apparent results of 12 prominent examples of American acts of force ranging from its entry into World War I to North American Treaty Organization's (NATO) massive air strike that ended the war in Bosnia. The values in terms of which I judge them are military success (to the extent that it promotes other values), low cost (in loss of life, physical suffering, and economic deprivation), peace (ending or avoiding a war), international will, democracy, and freedom from alien rule. With 6, I judge to have had mainly good results: World War II in Europe, World War II in Asia, the defense of South Korea, the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Bosnian War. This study rates 4 to have had mainly bad results: the invasion of North Korea, the Bay of Pigs, the Vietnam War, and the SAC Alert in 1973. Two were ambiguous in this respect: World War I and the Persian Gulf War. Separately, this article judges negatively the results of many lesser interventions a...