The Origins of Major War

Copeland asks why governments make decisions that lead to, sustain, and intensify conflicts, drawing on detailed historical narratives of several twentieth-century cases, including World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.

Dale C. Copeland is Associate Professor of International Relations in the Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics at the University of Virginia. His articles have appeared in major journals in international relations and security studies and have been anthologized in three collections.

Theoretically ambitious and historically rich, this book synthesizes realist thinking about the origins of great-power wars.... Copeland ably shows how great-power leaders think about and respond to changing power disparities.

Copeland's theories—not to mention his history lessons—provide a valuable framework for anyone trying to understand how any nation could willingly initiate something as catastrophic as all-out war.

The Origins of Major War is arguably the best statement on the causes of great power conflict in a generation. Copeland's argument is elegant and far-reaching.... This work will stand as the most powerful realist statement on the causes of war for some time and should be read by all students of international politics and those who wonder what lies ahead for the United States should it experience a decline in power.

Marc Trachtenberg, UCLA:

This is an important and provocative piece of work. Copeland's fundamental argument about the extraordinary importance of the changing military balance is developed with great skill and intelligence, and his use of the historical sources was particularly impressive. This book is a wonderful example of international relations research at its best, and it is remarkably well-written to boot.

Jack S. Levy, Rutgers University:

In The Origins of Major War, Dale C. Copeland presents an innovative theory of the causes of major war and provides powerful and sometimes provocative interpretations of the most important international crises of the twentieth century. This is a model of how to integrate theory and history in ways that enhance both, and is essential reading for all serious students of international conflict.

Joseph Grieco, Duke University:

Dale C. Copeland's The Origins of Major War is a superb book. Through a masterful blending of theoretical modeling and historical analysis, it sheds significant light on the manner in which changes in power relationships among countries may increase the risk of the outbreak of serious war. This book will be of great interest both to political scientists and historians, and it will help shape academic and policy-oriented thinking about the problem of shifts in national power and the prospects for world peace for many years to come.

John J. Mearsheimer, University of Chicago:

Dale C. Copeland establishes himself as one of the leading international relations scholars with this truly important book, which offers a provocative and sweeping theory on the causes of great power war.