An important contribution to the international relations and
military studies literature, this study considers the problem of
conflict termination in Europe--an area of immense strategic
importance to both the United States and the Soviet Union. The
author argues that a well-thought-out policy for conflict
termination is lacking within the NATO alliance, which currently
relies almost exclusively on policies that emphasize the prevention
of war. This lack of a conflict termination strategy, Cimbala
asserts, leaves nations open to the danger of a quickly escalating
nuclear conflict, should prevention policies fail and a war in
Europe actually occur. In developing his arguments, Cimbala
considers the relationship between war and politics as perceived by
Soviet and Western planners; compares the superpowers' likely views
on the process of escalation; and assesses the command, control,
and communications perspectives implicit in Soviet and American
writings and deployments and their implications for war
termination.
Cimbala begins with an overview of the problems and choices
involved in ending war in Europe under contemporary conditions.
Subsequent chapters examine such topics as the philosophical and
practical issues related to the problem of preemption; the problem
of military stability and its specific applications to modern
Europe; and Western and Soviet approaches to the escalation and
limitation of war. Soviet perspectives on command and control as
well as the Soviet view of war termination receive extended
treatment in two chapters. Finally, Cimbala contrasts the orthodox
view of mutual assured destruction with the strategic revisionism
of defense dominance or mutual assured survival. He concludes that
policymakers and military planners must recognize that nuclear
weapons will almost certainly be a part of any war in Europe and
that termination must focus on limiting the use of these weapons
before the pressures of in the field escalation tendencies begin to
work against the early conclusion of a conflict. Students and
scholars of military policy will find Cimbala's work enlightening
and provocative reading.
General
Imprint: |
Praeger Publishers Inc
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
October 1990 |
First published: |
October 1990 |
Authors: |
Stephen J Cimbala
|
Dimensions: |
234 x 156 x 17mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
296 |
Edition: |
New |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-275-93592-4 |
Categories: |
Books >
Social sciences >
Warfare & defence >
General
|
LSN: |
0-275-93592-2 |
Barcode: |
9780275935924 |
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!