ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the Western deterrence concepts with reference to a realistic analysis of the strategic balance and the Soviet view of the role of strategic nuclear weapons. The strategic concepts that have governed Western thought about the proper role of strategic nuclear force have been slow to adapt to significant changes in the international environment. The emergence of Soviet strategic nuclear superiority renders the beginning of the decade a propitious point to reassess the dominant body of United States strategic thought. The theories of deterrence and stability that have dominated United States strategic thought were formulated during an era of almost universally recognized United States strategic nuclear superiority. Political and military sources will be included to guard against conscious or unconscious selectivity in the data base. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
