Balanced and comprehensive in approach, this text assembles classic statements on nuclear strategy and arms control made by Soviet and U.S. policymakers, military thinkers, and opinion leaders during the last forty years. Major Soviet statements, rarely appearing in translation, reflect the disagreement over whether "victory" or "parity" is the goal of Soviet nuclear strategy and forces. Taken as a whole, the selections record the concerns and hopes of government leaders who bear responsibility for protecting their nation's security in the nuclear age. The general introduction is structured and written in a straightforward, succinct fashion that helps the student master the seemingly inchoate mass of ideas surrounding the arms race. The development of Soviet and U.S. policies and postures since the Cold War is recounted. The ramifications of such concepts as counterforce strategy, massive retaliation, assured destruction, deterrence, stability, and the strategic defense initiative are logically and thoroughly explained so that students with no background can easily grasp the discussions that follow. The introduction also explores the intricacies of arms control negotiations, as well as the pitfalls that have been and will be encountered by the superpowers. With their analysis of the arms race, the editors bridge the gap between antinuclear activists and those who are legally charged with the defense of their country. Intended for use as a basic text in courses on national security, arms control, and peace studies, this collection of primary sources encourages students to reassess their own perceptions of the arms race. Each chapter contains its own extensive introduction, and each part has a selected bibliography that can be used for further study. The glossary at the end of the text provides a comprehensive dictionary of arms control and disarmament terms. The historic nature of the selections makes this book a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and libraries as well.
