SINCE the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, Wal has considered 'unthinkable'. suddenly the nuclear armoury is being rattled anew; Western powers Britain and the United States are stepping up expenditure; and nuclear war is discussed by 'sane' people.
An al-out war between maior capitalist powers has indeed become unthinkable, unlike when the epoch of announced itself in 1914 to 1918. The war preparanons or impellalsil dic now directed towards two objectives — against the outbreak of revolution, particularly in the colonial and semi-colonial and azallist USSR.
Over the past 20 years the major capitanst countries nave lad to copt developments throwing them into chaos.
America's intention policeman to the world foundered in South-east Asia at the hands of the and peasants of Vietnam. Worker This defeat, and the response of the American working class, almost impossible for the intervene against movements abroad. Inis was not the case with the Lebanon in 1958, or Santo Domingo in 1965.
upsurges DURING the late '50s and early '60s Britain's nuclear bomb, and the presence of American were major questions Now the same questions - of Britain's been But all the especially defence bloodily Angola and Nicaragua.
The Soviet the than defence bureaucracy.
recession, the of playing nicole possibility of war.
US to revolutionary range *The revolution in certain instances — as in Union itself has directly backed forces opposing the US in Africa and in the Middle-East — less in pursuit of world revolution of the Soviet Also, in a period of crisis and when idea reclaiming certain markets for world capitalism - in Eastern Europe, the far East and so on - becomes an increasingly attractive way out of the economic crisis. But this immediately poses the The interests of the Soviet Union have recently clashed with those of Time tension between the US USSR has been mounting In the build up of international military and political the bourgeoisie are much more willing to discuss war as a A clear sign of this dynamic is seen in the response to The Third World War: a future history by Sir John Hackett. This book was designed to have a major effect on Tory "defence' Its basic thesis is that war with the USSR need only involve a the exchange, and that war with the USSR, far from being unthinkable is eminently winnable.
The increased war drive is shown in the rapid rearming of the Western nuclear role and the preparations for civil defence in the event of nuclear attack - are PHIL HEARSE looks at the reasons why.
* The increasing development of 'super-weapons, including laser weapons and nuclear missiles delivered from space.
MX system. "shuttle' system, thoions of dollars, would moke SALT thousands of miles roads Il far less attractive to the USSR — if the US hadn't pulled out already. It involves up to 5,000 silos but only a warheads which. are around from silo to silo - so that the USSR never knows where they are The MX is less of a threat to the USSR with the abandonment of SALT II -there is nothing to stop the Soviet Union having a missile trained on each silo.
The rapid development of new technology does necessarily mean it will be used.
1S combined speculation that the US could now win a war wth the USSR, and with clear preparations for a new cold war, then we have to admit that we are In Britain there have been two ominous developments. First, revelation in the London magazine Out of the extent preparations made by the government for controlling the country in event of nuclear war. These include a complex set of communications and regional government centres have been constructed over the past fifteen years. The government is now preparing for a considerable extension of civil defence preparations.
More ominous for the working class in Britain is the deployment of the Cruise missile. The cruise missile, only 21 foot long, has a limited range. Unlike conventional missiles it cannot be launched against the USSR from United States. Therefore, Western Europe, and particular, have become the USA's 'aircraft-carrier'.
This involving moved But of the which
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bases in Britain, political debate.
Clashed once more the subject of debate.
19ser to war than at any time since And in Britain...