Encyclopedia of Conflicts Since World War II - 9780765680051

With a broad definition of conflict that encompasses civil and international wars, political uprisings and civil disorders, coups, and more, this four-volume encyclopedia aims to provide comprehensive coverage of major and minor armed conflict around the globe from the end of World War II through the opening years of the 21st century. The encyclopedia opens with a section on the "roots of war," containing articles on the Cold War, anticolonialism, guerilla wars and popular insurrections ("people's wars") coups, invasions and border disputes, ethnic and religious conflicts, global terrorism, and the international arms trade. The next 170 articles, broadly organized by geographic region, contain narratives describing the political and military developments of particular conflicts, supplemented by maps and key dates chronologies. Following the individual conflict entries, which conclude about halfway into the fourth volume, come 16 articles on organizations, alliances, conventions, and negotiations, including the African Union, the Arab League, the Central Treaty Organization (the Baghdad Pact), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Economic Community of West African States, and the European Defense Community, among others. The fourth volume also contains a collection of very brief biographies; a glossary; a bibliography; and general, biographical and organizational name, and geographical indexes. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)