Never Ready
NATO's Flexible Response Strategy, 1968-1989
Series : Europe@War #16
Author : Kenton White
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Details
General - Pages : 102 | Images : 15 b/w photos, 89 colour photos, 3 charts, 22 colour profiles, 8 colour maps, 1 table
Paperback - Date of Publication : 15th December 2021 | Size : 297mm x 210mm | ISBN : 9781914377082 | Helion Book Code : HEL1389
eBook - ISBN : 9781912866571
Was Britain’s implementation of NATO strategy credible? After the adoption of Flexible Response in 1967 NATO relied on conventional forces to defend the West. Britain had a central role in NATO’s plans, but was British defence planning adequate for the task? How did the Government plan for the use of the conventional Armed Forces for the range of operations it was committed to? How were the Armed Forces to be Mobilised, and what was the detail of the planning for mobilisation?
In 1967 MC14/3 was adopted as the overall strategic concept by NATO. It relied on an escalatory deterrence, from conventional through tactical nuclear strikes to strategic nuclear attack. This is commonly known as Flexible Response and replaced NATO’s trip-wire response. The declared principal of the strategic concept was to reduce the chance of mistakenly starting a nuclear war, meeting force with like force, and raising the nuclear threshold in the event of actual war.
By using newly available documents from British and other archives, this volume will show that far from being a flexible strategy, in the event of a war it was doomed to failure. The concept was compromised by the failure of the Alliance members to provide one of the main legs of the conventional deterrent – sustainability.
This book analyses the paradox between the public face of defence policy and the practice. The book assesses whether the planning would have worked, and what would have happened in Europe if war had broken out. To answer this question the research looks at the conflicts in the Falklands and the Gulf to assess the feasibility of the plans in place.
Elements upon which British defence depended were still being built more than twenty years after the new strategy was adopted. Defence policy in Britain was concerned less with the threats the country faced than with just how little could be spent on defence.
Never Ready is extensively illustrated with contemporary photographs, many in colour, and specially commissioned diagrams, colour artworks and maps.
"This is a fascinating if stark and very sobering analysis of Britain's Defence capability during the period and provides clear evidence of the failure to align higher level policy and plans with resources and budgets. I do not doubt that many who served, especially in more senior posts, during this period will find this a familiar if somewhat depressing summary of their Cold War service on the north German Plain and of life in staff appointments endlessly drafting "impact statements" in response to proposed cuts. There are many stark lessons here for today's Government Ministers and Defence Staff and it is highly recommended." Cliver Elderton, Military Historical Society, Autumn 2022
"....The book is well illustrated throughout, with lots of Cold War era British ships, aircraft and military vehicles. There are also plenty of maps to illustrate the various plans and, as usual for the series, a section of 7-pages of neat colour profiles in the middle of the book. I think for many of us who remember going through the period of the Cold War will find this interesting reading." Robin Buckland, Military Model Scene
"The Cold War and hypothetical Third World War crowd will find the analysis interesting." Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
"The publishers of the Europe at War history have made a bold move in adopting the text of an academic work to a publication that is aimed to the ‘buff community’. I applaud them in moving beyond descriptions of equipment and formations to a deep dive into policy. Given the emphasis of the book, however, it may not appeal to everyone. Regardless, if you are interested in how a member of NATO could meet its obligations to the alliance, this is a welcome addition to any collection." IPMS/USA
".....Never Ready is extensively illustrated with dozens of contemporary photographs, mainly in colour, 7 pages of artwork and a number of maps and diagrams. It is a fascinating insight into the Cold War that is particularly revealing." IPMS magazine, Issue 6 2023