ABSTRACT
The commitment of both East and West to nuclear deterrence as the cornerstone of national security policy has, together with the constant competition for global influence as well as other factors, led to an unending and costly armaments competition that threatens devastating nuclear war. Assessment of the military balance in central Europe must take into account the actual political situation in Europe today. In the 1950s a large portion of the Western European population was loyal to Communist parties subservient to Moscow. This loyalty posed a serious threat to Western defense in the event of conflict, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization commanders envisaged large-scale efforts at fifth-column activities. With the ever-increasing destructiveness of modern weapons, especially nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, the world faces the danger that a future world war could bring an end to human civilization, or even human life.
