This volume investigates the legal and operational frameworks governing United Nations peacekeeping missions during the organization's formative decades. Rosalyn Higgins, a distinguished scholar of international law, compiles primary source documentation to analyze the evolution of UN authority in conflict resolution. The work provides a rigorous examination of how peacekeeping mandates were interpreted and applied in the context of early Cold War geopolitical tensions.

Experts and researchers in international law frequently cite this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the early legal history of UN interventions. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for scholars and practitioners of international relations.