HIS344Y1 Lecture : Feb 15
Document Summary
Regardless of the problems and loopholes salt had, the negotiations continued. Nuclear weapons issues were talked and prevented nuclear war. The soviet union had 600 short/intermediate range missiles in eastern europe targeting western europe. Countered by modern american technology f-111 (had nuclear weapons) and submarines. So nuclear parity in europe was reached. The soviet union invested in new missiles ss-20. Far more accurate matching american weapon system. All of ss-20s could be deployed with multiple warheads. Giving upper hand to soviet union and warsaw pact. The soviet union always (since wwii) had conventional weapon superiority. Clear cut advantage over nato, western europe and us in europe. Raised problems in western europe and washington. There was theory, many western europeans and americans, that the russians could use local superiority, both in conventional and nuclear, upset chain of deterrence (theory since 50s) Envisioned balance of power in every field, not only in strategic, but also in missiles and weapons.
