NATO's (North Atlantic Treaty Organization's) theater nuclear weapons and the defense of Europe: past patterns and future prospects. Master's thesis

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5375236

Stephenson, G L

The goal of this research was to analyze and order the controversy and ambiguity surrounding the TNW modernization started by NATO in 1979. To place the GLCM/Pershing II deployment within its historical context, this thesis reviews significant events pertaining to NATO since its inception. Three basic questions guided this study: Why did the NATO allies agree in 1979 to modernize their theater nuclear force. Why did the United States actually begin this TNW deployment in 1983. Is the TNW program accomplishing its goals. The first period reviewed (1948-59) is considered in terms of the United States' initial deployment of TNWs into Europe, the Soviet force buildup following World War II, and the creation of NATO in 1949. Section two traces NATO's changing attitudes towards TNWs from 1960-1974. The third section (1975-present) discusses the conventional and nuclear force balance, NATO's growing divisions during this period, and the role of the GLCM/Pershing II deployment within this environment of change for NATO. An examination of NATO's patterns of response over the last 38 years reveals that NATO has failed to develop formal organizational goals, choosing instead to react to each Soviet provocation on a case-by-case basis.

• Research Organization: Air Force Inst. of Tech., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (USA). School of Systems and Logistics
• OSTI ID: 5375236
• Report Number(s): AD-A-186959/3/XAB; AFIT/GLM/LSR-87S-73
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
EUROPE
SECURITY
NATO
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ARMS CONTROL
CRUISE MISSILES
MILITARY STRATEGY
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MISSILES
WEAPONS
350200* - Arms Control- Proliferation- (1987-)
450202 - Explosions & Explosives- Nuclear- Weaponry- (-1989)