Awaiting an Enemy: The Operational Significance of Politically Induced ForceReductions to Parity in Central Europe

摘要

History is replete with evidence of how change in political economic, and socialconditions forge alterations in a nation's military posture. Today, the forces of change are rampant, especially in NATO's Central European theater. Recent Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) arms reduction proposals have rekindled disarmament debate and have caused the military leadership to reassess Alliance defense initiatives in view of vague changing conditions. This monograph examines how the CFE negotiations will impact on future military operations. The study's primary focus will analyze how post-CFE treaty limitations (e.g. geographic dispersion and parity between NATO and WP forces) will tend to influence two broad operational concepts of warfare--war by maneuver or by attrition. Naturally, both concepts are important, interrelated, and situationally dependent; however, a shifting emphasis may be warranted to properly align military operations with the ends of national policy.