ABSTRACT
The vast changes that have occurred in the Soviet Union since Mikhail Gorbachev became its leader in March 1985 have unleashed a revolution in the Eastern bloc and fundamentally altered Soviet-East European relations and East-West relations. This chapter outlines key changes in military doctrine over the last several years. It treats the subject of parity, delineating three broad schools of thought that could be called parity via arms control, reasonable sufficiency, and minimum deterrence. The chapter focuses on the dramatic changes in Soviet thinking—first with respect to the role of arms control in the strategic debate and then with respect to the use of nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence. The task of developing and maintaining a coherent security policy, especially regarding the future role of nuclear weapons in the new international environment, will present President Gorbachev with yet another serious challenge as he tries to hold the Soviet empire together.
