Includes index.

The origins of crisis /Peter H. Smith -- pt. 1. Inside Central America: the impact of U.S. policy: -- Guatemala / Robert Trudeau and Lars Schoultz -- El Salvador / Martin Diskin and Kenneth E. Sharpe -- Nicaragua / Dennis Gilbert -- Honduras / Philip L. Shepherd -- Costa Rica / Morris J. Blachman and Ronald G. Hellman -- Panama / Thomas John Bossert -- The economics of strife / Richard S. Newfarmer -- pt. 2. The other actors in the region: -- Cuba / William M. LeoGrande -- The Soviet Union / Cole Blasier -- Mexico, Venezuela, and the Contadora initiative / Terry Karl -- pt. 3. Confronting revolution: a new U.S. foreign policy: -- Grappling with Central America: from Carter to Reagan / William M. LeoGrande, Douglas C. Bennett, Morris J. Blachman, and Kenneth E. Sharpe -- The failure of the hegemonic strategic vision / Morris J. Blachman, Douglas C. Bennett, William M. LeoGrande, and Kenneth E. Sharpe -- Security through diplomacy: a policy of principled realism / Kenneth E. Sharpe, Douglas C. Bennett, Morris J. Blachman, and William M. LeoGrande.