CONFIDENTIAL
Appendix
rame
Assumptions
United
War planning in the
that in the prevailing international situation the risk of war
in Europe is very low. The aim of the Government's defence policy
is to ensure that war does not occur. Deterrence has kept the
peace in Europe for the last four decades and continues to do
so, but there can be no absolute and permanent guarantee that
the United Kingdom would never be involved, directly or indirectly,
Kingdom is based on the assessment
in war, and in any case deterrence of course requires an ability
to act.
Contingency plans for tension and war are therefore
made. In that planning it is assumed that war involving the
United Kingdom and the NATO Alliance would be likely to be preceded
by a period of international tension possibly lasting weeks or
months, but that the warning period before the start of a war
in Europe could be very short. / The Government's
aims are 60 days of
days of
endurance
tension including 7 days warning time, 30
conventional war (which may or may not end
in nuclear
war), and 60 days post-war. _/
CONFIDENTIAL
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