"Using the historical case studies of the War of 1812, The First World War, The Korean War and The First Gulf War, this book demonstrates how the Wilsonian framework can give us a unique understanding of why the United States chose to go to war in those four conflicts. Cox argues that the Wilsonian framework is an important concern for decision makers in the US and that democracy promotion and the concept of international law are driving factors in each of these decisions to go to war. The realist and economic explanations of these conflicts are not sufficient and we must draw on Wilsonianism to gain a clear understanding of these conflicts"--Provided by publisher.