"The United Nations' 50th anniversary in 1995 prompted the world to reflect on how peacekeeping has changed over the decades. Soldiers for Peace, an anthology of thirteen essays by journalists, peacekeepers, and military historians - often in provocative disagreement with one another - provides a substantive, objective overview for buffs, students, and general readers - anyone who wants to get smart fast about this vital subject." "Essays include a history of peacekeeping and its antecedents; a concise analysis of operations since 1948; an interview with Sir Brian Urquhart, the man most involved with the development of the peacekeeping concept; eyewitness accounts of missions in Cyprus, the Congo, the Middle East, Cambodia, Haiti, Somalia, and the former Yugoslavia; the special training of peacekeeping soldiers, who must face a range of potentially explosive situations; lessons on tactics and the divisive issue of command and control; consideration of public attitude and the American soldier; and the special frustrations of humanitarian-relief operations. Complementing each essay are evocative black-and-white photographs from United Nations archives and various news sources, and specially drawn maps that allow readers to locate various peacekeeping operations discussed in the text. A guide to U.N. acronyms and a gazetteer of operations provide quick reference to all peacekeeping missions since 1948." "With a preface by United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Soldiers for Peace is a revealing examination of all aspects of peacekeeping, its successes and failures past and present, and its prospects for the future. This engrossing chronicle is written from an historical perspective that sheds light on the ever-evolving goals of the U.N. as it struggles for balance in peacemaking, peacekeeping, peace-enforcement, and peace-building throughout the world today. Soldiers for Peace is a must-read for all."--Jacket.

Includes maps of: Division of Cyprus as of 1974; Crisis in the Congo, 1960-1964; Boundaries of the Various Republics of the Former Yugoslavia as of February 1996.

The "prehistory" of peacekeeping / Thomas F. Arnold and Heather R. Ruland -- A short history of United Nations peacekeeping / Paul Lewis -- An interview: the man in the middle / Lance Morrow -- U.N. peacekeeping tactics: the impartial buffer / Rod Paschall -- Solving the command-and-control problem / Rod Paschall -- Assignment: Cyprus / Basil Zarov -- The essential art of empathy / Keith Elliot Greenberg -- Crisis in Katanga / Stanley Meisler -- Peacekeeping and humanitarian aid / Iain Guest -- Redefining "victory" / John F. Hillen III -- Somalia: Frustration in a failed nation / Jonathan T. Howe -- Bosnia: negotiation and retreat / Roy Gutman -- The changing face of peacekeeping / Shashi Tharoor.