This volume investigates the mechanisms and diplomatic challenges involved in the termination of armed conflicts under the auspices of the United Nations between 1946 and 1964. Sydney D. Bailey, a noted scholar of international organizations, utilizes primary UN documentation and historical records to analyze how the organization navigates the transition from active hostilities to ceasefire and settlement. The work provides a structured framework for understanding the limitations and successes of international mediation in a post-WWII geopolitical landscape.

Experts in international relations frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the procedural history of UN conflict resolution. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of the institutional constraints faced by the United Nations during the early Cold War era.