Euromissile refers to intermediate-range nuclear missiles deployed by both the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]] and the [[Warsaw Pact]] in Europe during the [[Cold War]], particularly from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. The term encapsulates the strategic and political tensions surrounding the deployment of these weapons, which had the capability to strike targets across much of Europe and parts of the [[Soviet Union]].
History
The "Euromissile Crisis" emerged in the late 1970s following the Soviet Union's deployment of the new, mobile, and highly accurate [[SS-20 Saber]] (also known as RSD-10 Pioneer) intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) in Eastern Europe. The SS-20 replaced older, less capable Soviet missiles and significantly enhanced the Soviet conventional and nuclear threat against Western Europe.In response to the SS-20 deployment, NATO adopted its "[[Dual-Track Decision]]" in December 1979. This decision proposed two simultaneous tracks:
Deployment: The deployment of new U.S. intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) in Western Europe (specifically [[West Germany]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Italy]], [[Belgium]], and the [[Netherlands]]) starting in December 1983, if no satisfactory arms control agreement was reached.
Negotiation: An offer to the Soviet Union to negotiate the reduction or elimination of these missile systems.
The subsequent deployment of NATO's new missiles in the early 1980s led to widespread public protests across Western Europe, fueled by fears of a nuclear war on European soil. The period became a major flashpoint in East-West relations.
Key Missiles
The primary missile systems central to the Euromissile debate were:-
Soviet Union (Warsaw Pact):
- [[SS-20 Saber]] (RSD-10 Pioneer): A mobile, solid-fueled, two-stage IRBM capable of carrying three [[Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle|MIRV]] warheads. Its mobility and accuracy made it a potent threat.
-
United States (NATO):
- [[Pershing II]]: A mobile, two-stage, solid-fueled ballistic missile with a single, highly accurate warhead. It had a shorter flight time to Soviet targets than existing ICBMs.
- [[BGM-109G Gryphon]] (Ground Launched Cruise Missile - GLCM): A sub-sonic, terrain-following cruise missile carrying a single nuclear warhead. It was difficult to detect and offered a complementary threat to the Pershing II.
The Crisis and Resolution
The deployment of Pershing II and GLCMs began in late 1983, leading to the Soviet Union walking out of arms control negotiations. The standoff continued for several years, exacerbating Cold War tensions. However, with the rise of [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] in the Soviet Union and continued diplomatic efforts by the [[Ronald Reagan]] administration, a breakthrough was achieved.The crisis was ultimately resolved with the signing of the [[Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty|INF Treaty]] (officially, the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles) on December 8, 1987, by President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev. The INF Treaty mandated the elimination of all land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (310 and 3,420 miles). This included all SS-20s, Pershing IIs, and GLCMs.