What do you think?
A Grand Strategy for the West: The Anachronism of National Strategies in an Interdependent World
In this new book, Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from the spring of 1974 to the fall of 1982, ranges widely over contemporary world problems and offers a timely, original, and hard-hitting set of prescriptions for U.S. and Western policy.
Chancellor Schmidt starts with the premise that no nation can now achieve its major political and economic goals by its own efforts; national interest must be pursued by strategies that include a large measure of cooperation. Referring to the Soviet Union's long history of expansion, he deplores the absence of a joint Western grand strategy toward the Soviet Union and calls for a Western policy that rests on what President Kennedy called the "two pillars" of the United States and Europe. He deals in detail with Europe's political, economic, and military weakness and lays out the dilemmas facing Europe, which he believes has abdicated a leadership role in the Western alliance and suffers the consequences of disunity. He faults the Reagan administration for the huge budget deficits that hurt not only Europe but also Latin America and points out that it is European and Japanese investors who are helping to pay the enormous costs of American nuclear weapons that are not meant ever to be used. He also criticizes the neglect of conventional forces both in America and in Europe.
Turning to other parts of the world, Chancellor Schmidt stresses the importance of Western help to solve Latin America's fundamental economic problems and warns against military intervention in Central America. He declares that only American idealists believe that the United States can bring lasting peace to the Middle East, and he recommends Western support of China's efforts to improve its economy.
Unsparing in his comments on all the leading nations, Helmut Schmidt demonstrates anew in this, by far his fullest public expression since leaving office, the qualities of total frankness, eloquence, grasp...
Chancellor Schmidt starts with the premise that no nation can now achieve its major political and economic goals by its own efforts; national interest must be pursued by strategies that include a large measure of cooperation. Referring to the Soviet Union's long history of expansion, he deplores the absence of a joint Western grand strategy toward the Soviet Union and calls for a Western policy that rests on what President Kennedy called the "two pillars" of the United States and Europe. He deals in detail with Europe's political, economic, and military weakness and lays out the dilemmas facing Europe, which he believes has abdicated a leadership role in the Western alliance and suffers the consequences of disunity. He faults the Reagan administration for the huge budget deficits that hurt not only Europe but also Latin America and points out that it is European and Japanese investors who are helping to pay the enormous costs of American nuclear weapons that are not meant ever to be used. He also criticizes the neglect of conventional forces both in America and in Europe.
Turning to other parts of the world, Chancellor Schmidt stresses the importance of Western help to solve Latin America's fundamental economic problems and warns against military intervention in Central America. He declares that only American idealists believe that the United States can bring lasting peace to the Middle East, and he recommends Western support of China's efforts to improve its economy.
Unsparing in his comments on all the leading nations, Helmut Schmidt demonstrates anew in this, by far his fullest public expression since leaving office, the qualities of total frankness, eloquence, grasp...
- GenresNonfiction
159 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Helmut Schmidt
383 books36 followersHelmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt was a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.