European Peace Movements and Missile Deployments

Abstract

Antideployment peace movement activity in Europe has declined in intensity since deployments of intermediate-range nuclear forces began in December 1983; the issue, however, will likely remain on the political agenda for several years as these deployments continue. Peace movements are nationally oriented with much less transnational collaboration than is usually imagined. The movements vary from country to country, with Dutch peace activities relatively the strongest in terms of effective political influence. Peace movements tend to be stronger in northern European Protestant areas; less so among European Catholics. Explanations for this are speculative but include such factors as religious doctrinal differences, guilt among some churchmen for not having taken stronger moral positions on state matters during the Hitler period, and success in postwar demilitarization policies. In any event, Western publics will likely remain a central part of the negotiations/deployment, two-track process as they have from the outset.