ABSTRACT
European security has since the conclusion of the Second World War in many respects been a mere function of the relationship between East and West. To some the European problem is in itself a contributory cause of the adverse relationship between East and West. To the great majority of the European countries, Super-Power dependence was the way to achieve security. In Western Europe, massive arms aid and the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance instituted this dependence. The proposal to create a defensive system has brought up the issue of Europe's role in the East-West relations and posed the question to European governments and publics: Does dependence assure security? Though many shades can be found in this debate, it is obvious that there are two fundamentally different positions confronting each other: Some argue that Europe needs the Super-Power commitment — European security is the Super-Power guarantee.
