WHY NATIONS GO TO WAR is unique. The reflections of author John G. Stoessinger are built around ten case studies and provide a deep analysis of the root causes of modern war, from from World War I to the modern day. The author's main emphasis is on the pivotal role of the personalities of leaders who take their nations, or their following, across the threshold into war. Students are sure to remember Stoessinger's thoughts on war long after their completion of his book.