The Political Utility of Strategic Superiority: A Preliminary Investigation Into the Soviet View.

Abstract

This paper explores methods of determining the Soviet perspective on the political utility of strategic superiority. It begins by identifying the factors key to such a determination--that strategic superiority may be only one explanation for the Soviet arms buildup; that such superiority would be unique; and that what is important is the Soviet attitude toward such superiority. The paper then isolates the political aspect of current treatment of the strategic superiority problem and suggests ways of examining this aspect more effectively. Such ways include examining Soviet behavior as a strategic nuclear power and in the European theater context; exploring Soviet commentary and the drawbacks of doing so; and the use of decision-making analyses. The paper tentatively concludes that strategic superiority would have utility for the Soviets as a background factor to their foreign policy actions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA072816

Entities

People

  • Karl F. Spielmann

Organizations

  • Institute for Defense Analyses

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Cyber
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Civil Defense
  • Cognition
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Foreign Relations
  • Geography
  • Human Behavior
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Second World War
  • Sociopolitics
  • Strategic Weapons
  • Treaties
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies
  • Theoretical Analysis.