The nuclear-conventional nexus in Western military planning for European contingencies

Abstract

The nuclear-conventional nexus is central to many peacetime intra-Alliance debates, and it is a critical reference point for military planners. The linkage between nuclear and conventional military power also provides a distinctive dimension to the control of military operations during crisis and war.The management of this nexus is dependent on evolving political and operational factors such as: trans-Atlantic diplomacy and European political developments; the modernisation of theatre nuclear forces and doctrine; and the prospects for nuclear proliferation. It is argued that planning for nuclear and convention.al military units in and around Europe should be reviewed within the context of a shift in doctrine that more clearly addresses the requirements of crisis management. For this to occur strategic analysis should recognise how regional political factors both reflect, and help to mould, the juxtapositioning of nuclear and conventional military power. Such analysis would show that, within Europe, nuclear and conventional forces have acquired overlapping but not coterminous roles. These ideas are developed within an analytical framework which brings together: a discussion of the nature of strategy; a history of the nuclear-conventional nexus; and an examination of factors affecting the character of the linkage between nuclear and conventional forces in Europe.