The dramatic Soviet arms build-up of recent years has led to growing fears in the West about the strategic balance and to doubt about the effectiveness of the American deterrent. As part of an effort to counter this Soviet threat, European members of the Atlantic Alliance must soon decide whether to allow modernised theatre nuclear weapons to be based on their territory.

Laurence Martin, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and former Professor of War Studies, King's College, London, examines the factors influencing this important decision.