Publisher's Synopsis
This is a study of Soviet military doctrine and capabilities and their relation to Soviet foreign policy objectives and East-West relations during the Gorbachev period. It assesses the role of military power in Gorbachev's foreign policy, and the dismantlement of the military confrontation in Europe. It describes the endeavour by Gorbachev to reduce the burden of military expenditure and the resulting political conflict with the military leadership over Perestroika in the armed forces, military reform and arms control. The main theme is the military factor in the interplay of social and political forces which resulted in the end of the Soviet empire and the disintegration of the Soviet Union itself.
