Episode Details

The "Nuclear Umbrella" always was a sick joke in which the umbrella itself would do the dirty work of exterminating the place it was supposed to "keep clean" of enemy forces.

Today I speak with Ola Tunander, professor emeritus at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, and Rainer Rupp, former NATO analyst and East German spy, about the real meaning of the US nuclear umbrella. We discuss deterrence, tactical nuclear plans in Germany and Norway, Sweden’s old bomb debate, Pershing missiles, Able Archer, and the risk that Europe could again become the main nuclear battlefield.

Links:

Ola Tunander Substack: https://olatunander.substack.com

Rainer Rupp: https://www.rainerrupp.de

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

(Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic)

Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:45 Origins of the nuclear umbrella

00:09:22 Germany as the nuclear battlefield

00:16:27 Sweden and Norway under the umbrella

00:24:24 NATO planning and Europe’s destruction

00:27:28 French and British nuclear limits

00:33:12 Soviet plans in the Nordic region

00:40:53 Pershing missiles and Able Archer

00:52:00 Nuclear risks in Europe today

00:58:58 Secret operations outside NATO

01:02:31 Final thoughts on deterrence