West German Perspectives on Nuclear Armament and Arms Control

The NATO decision of 1979 to modernize its nuclear arsenal has prompted an intense and divisive political debate over security policy in the Federal Republic of Germany. The divergence of public opinion reflects uncertainty over the U.S. commitment to European security; uneasiness over the possibility of limited war in Europe and the continuing Soviet deployment of the SS-20; and dissatisfaction with the progress of arms control. These concerns have heightened public attention to all aspects of NATO doctrine, conventional strategy, and arms control. However, despite a shift by the Social Democratic Party in the 1983 electoral campaign on the question of intermediate-range nuclear force modernization and some success by the Green candidates on an antinuclear platform, the prospects for reforging the consensus are encouraging. Chancellor Kohl recognizes the need to reestablish broader public support and will attempt to avoid further deterioration of the consensus, even if U.S.-German relations suffer in the short term. The discussion will probably increase support for a NATO strategy that is less dependent on the nuclear threat but does not forfeit the U.S. nuclear guarantee.