Explaining U.S. Intervention in Third World Internal Wars, 1945-1989

Abstract

Few quantitative studies of U.S. intervention have focused specifically on interventions in Third World internal wars and few have taken account of the wide range of U.S. intervention behaviors. To provide empirical analyses of the causes of U.S. intervention in such wars, this study tested three groups of hypotheses emphasizing strategic and economic interests and domestic factors of foreign policy. Cases are Third World internal wars that occurred during the period from 1945 to 1989. Results show that half of the hypotheses concerning strategic interests received empirical support, whereas hypotheses stressing the importance of economic interests received little support. The hypotheses emphasizing domestic factors supported in the literature of war or use of force are not supported when they are tested in the context of U.S. interventions in Third World internal wars.