[dragonwriter]

As with any war, trade wars are "won" to the extent that the ends sought are attained, usually by the political capitulation of the opposing party to end the war, rather than directly by the actions used to fight the war.

Also as with traditional armed conflict, it's rather often the case that neither side achieves a clear and unequivocal realization of its aims and that both claim a vindication unsupported by the concrete outcomes, with serious questions as to whether either achieved anything worth the cost suffered.

[tdb7893]

It's true that you might win by forcing demands. Trade isn't a zero sum game and requires cooperation so achieving a favorable result via "war" is unlikely. I guess I didn't state it well but even if we "win" we are unlikely to be any better off.