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Rebel, Remain, or Resign? Military Elites’ Decision-Making at the Onset of the American Civil War

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  • Peter B. White

Abstract

A critical element in civil wars is military fragmentation. Yet, we have a limited understanding of why military elites fight in civil wars and on what side. In this article I develop a theory of the economic and professional motivations of military elites. I test this theory using the case of West Point graduates in the American Civil War. I argue that in addition to home state, economic and professional interests were a major influence on West Pointers. Graduates with connections to Southern cash crops were less likely to fight for the Union and more likely to fight for the Confederacy. Higher ranking graduates were more likely to fight for both sides, as they were better positioned to compete for promotion. I test this argument using a new dataset of more than 1000 West Point graduates’ wartime allegiances and antebellum careers and find strong evidence in support of my expectations.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter B. White, 2024. "Rebel, Remain, or Resign? Military Elites’ Decision-Making at the Onset of the American Civil War," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 68(5), pages 938-963, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:68:y:2024:i:5:p:938-963
    DOI: 10.1177/00220027231185575
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kuhn, Patrick M. & Weidmann, Nils B., 2015. "Unequal We Fight: Between- and Within-Group Inequality and Ethnic Civil War," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 543-568, September.
    2. Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, 2013. "Actor Fragmentation and Civil War Bargaining: How Internal Divisions Generate Civil Conflict," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(3), pages 659-672, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuchen Guo & Matthew O. Jackson & Ruixue Jia, 2024. "Peer Influence on West Point Cadets’ CivilWar Allegiances," NBER Working Papers 33093, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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