Trade more often shapes war than directly starts it

What trade decisions have led to war?

Trade itself seldom starts war directly, but arms sales can shape later fighting and sanctions, restrictions, or imperial protection of commerce can create a path to conflict.

France's sale of Exocet missiles to Argentina became costly for Britain in the Falklands War. Ordinary exchange rarely causes war by itself; sanctions and restrictions are more likely to create direct confrontation. A follow-up broadens the point to Portuguese expansion, the Opium Wars, and imperial patterns in which traders arrived first, missionaries followed, and soldiers were later called to protect them. Commerce can drive imperial expansion, arms sales can shape later fighting, and coercive trade policy can become a more immediate trigger.