ABSTRACT
The southern region is by far the largest of the four areas in Allied Command Europe. Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) was established in June 1951 and has survived a number of disruptive command changes. North Atlantic Treaty Organization members currently contributing forces to AFSOUTH are the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Portugal. French naval forces remain in the Mediterranean and participate in exercises which is a potentially important factor in a crisis. The five principal commands of AFSOUTH are: Allied Land Forces Southern Europe, Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe, Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe, Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe, and Allied Air Forces Southern Europe. The geographical constraints in the AFSOUTH region present its three land commanders with unique problems of planning and strategy. They are separated from each other by about a thousand kilometers, which greatly complicates attempts to develop an integrative approach to regional defense.
