ABSTRACT
Arms control efforts have been an integral part of NATO policy toward the East almost since the inception of the Alliance. Although the names of the various ‘disengagement’ proposals that began appearing in 1952 —from Pfleiderer to Rapacki-have lapsed into relative obscurity, their theoretical appeal endures to this day. Likewise, general appreciation of the potential benefits of arms control (reducing the risks of war, the damage should war occur, and the costs of defense procurement) remains undiluted.
