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Casualties and Public Support for Military Conflict with North Korea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 July 2018

Timothy S. Rich*
Affiliation:
Western Kentucky University

Abstract

What explains the American public’s support for military conflict with North Korea? Despite increased rhetoric, few analyses address American public opinion or whether priming the public to consider casualties influences their perceptions. The results of an experimental survey design suggest that mentioning the human cost—even without explicit references to American casualties—reduces support for American military action against North Korea but not broader perceptions of North Korea.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2018 

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