Soviet Nuclear Policy Under Gorbachev: A Policy of Disarmament

(Hardback)

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This work offers a broad interpretation of the changes that have taken place in Soviet arms control policy since Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet head of state in March of 1985. Gorbachev's policy is usually portrayed as an effort to ease the Soviet defence burden and to improve relations with the West, but Daniel Calingaert argues that the Gorbachev leadership has embarked on a basically new policy of nuclear disarmament. Calingaert outlines how this policy allows the Soviets to divert resources to industrial modernization, restructure the armed forces, and join the global economy, thereby revitalizing their economic strength and exerting a renewed influence on international affairs. Organized thematically rather than chronologically, the book concentrates on interpreting the major decisions affecting nuclear weapons in Europe, strategic arms, and ballistic missile defenses. With its broad overview of Gorbachev's arms control policy, as well as its analyses, this study should be a useful resource for both students and experts of Soviet policy and security studies.

Author Bio

DANIEL CALINGAERT is currently completing his doctoral studies at Oxford University. His article Nuclear Weapons and the Korean War appeared in the Journal of Strategic Studies.