ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the events that led to the decision of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in December 1979 to pursue a dual-track approach to nuclear force modernization. Negotiations to modernize NATO’s intermediate-range nuclear forces began in late 1977 and culminated in NATO’s formal decision, which was announced in December 1979. When the NATO Nuclear Planning Group met in October 1977, both the nuclear force modernization and the neutron bomb were on the agenda. The US chairman focused the high-level group’s work on possible adjustments to the theater nuclear forces that could be supported by available and developing technology. By September 1979, the special group concluded that arms talks on reduction of long-range theater nuclear forces should take place within the strategic arms limitation talks framework and should give primary attention to the Soviet land-based missile force, as it was the most immediate threat to Europe.
