Issues of Surprise Exploitation in U. S. Security Policy for Central and Eastern Europe
Abstract
The document discusses two main classes of diplomatic and strategic surprise, described as true surprises and those which reflect failures of analysis and anticipation. Today East-West relations in Europe are jeopardized by several important forces of change which imply a deepening, perhaps eventually decisive, alteration in the configuration of power dominating the strategic and poticical situation in Europe. The immediate future in Eastern Europe is likely to produce more important 'surprising' changes and crises than at any time since the mid-1950's. Standard U.S. scenarios for European crisis, confrontation, and change seem no longer relevant. For the United States to exploit surprising events in order to bring about positive and consturctive change there must be American (and NATO) policy goals for Eastern and Central Europe which are themselves positive, politically responsible, and potentially attainable. This problem will become acute since a European Security Conference is likely in the near future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 07, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0747338
Entities
People
- Edmund Stillman
- Herman Kahn
- William Pfaff