Background

During the Cold War, the so-called Central Sector was the most significant potential battle area. A large number of states in the West and East prepared for the eventuality of a military confrontation in that area. The security policy and strategic aspects of the East-West conflict have already been elaborately researched, described and analysed. However, international research into the operational level is still in its infancy. Although various national studies are being conducted in this field, a more integrated multinational approach is to date still lacking. Because all preparations in the West and East were geared precisely to combined warfare, it would be useful to hold a conference on that theme, as a first step to bridging this gap in military history.

As the operational aspect is to be the main focus, it seems appropriate to devote attention to matters such as intelligence, operation plans, logistic planning, training & exercises and mobilisation.

The choice of the period from 1948 to 1968 was motivated both by factual relevance and pragmatism. In most countries (and also within NATO, for example), the archives relating to that period are accessible. The choice can also be defended well in terms of content, as the line of thought regarding the war to be fought underwent another severe change from the end of the nineteen-sixties.

Prof. Jan Hoffenaar
Netherlands Institute of Military History

Organization

Netherlands Institute of Military History (NIMH), The Hague
in cooperation with:
Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt (MGFA), Potsdam

With support of: Zentrum für Niederlande-Studien, Münster
1 (GE/NL) Corps , Münster

Day 1

09.30 – 10.15 Welcome with coffee

Part 1: Opening and introduction

10.15 – 10.30 Opening by NIMH/MGFA

10.30 – 11.00 Keynote speaker (former SACEUR/C-NORTHAG)

11.00 – 11.30 The security-political context (Prof Dr Lawrence S. Kaplan)

11.30 – 12.00 Interval

Part 2: Operational planning and preparation

12.00 – 12.20 NATO planning (Dr Bruno Thoss, MGFA, Potsdam )

12.20 – 12.40 Warsaw Pact planning (Dr Matthias Uhl, Deutsches Historisches Institut, DHI, Moscow )

12.40 – 13.00 Discussion

13.00 – 14.15 Lunch

14.15 – 14.35 Intelligence within NATO (Prof Dr Richard J. Aldrich, University of Nottingham )

14.35 – 14.55 Intelligence within the Warsaw Pact (Dr Bodo Wegmann)

14.55 – 15.15 Discussion

15.15 – 15.45 Interval

15.45 – 16.05 Logistics within NATO (Dr. Herman Roozenbeek, NIMH)

16.05 – 16.25 Logistics within the Warsaw Pact (Dr Pawel Piotrowski, Poland)

16.25 – 16.45 Discussion

Day 2

09.00 – 09.30 Welcome with coffee

Part 5: The Superpowers

09.30 – 09.50 The United States (priorities, tasks, preparations, exercises, etc.) (Dr Donald C. Carter, U.S. Army Center of Military History, Fort McNair , United States of America )

09.50 – 10.10 The Soviet Union (ditto), (Dr Michail Ljoschin, Mil-Hist Institute, Moscow)

10.10 – 10.30 Discussion

10.30 – 11.00 Interval

Part 6 : The German adversaries

11.00 – 11.20 The Federal Republic of Germany (Dr Helmut R. Hammerich, MGFA)

11.20 – 11.40 The German Democratic Republic (Dr Torsten Diedrich, MGFA)

11.40 – 12.00 Discussion

12.00 – 13.15 Lunch

13.15 – 13.35 The United Kingdom (Dr Bob Evans, Army Historical Branch, London )

13.35 – 13.55 Belgium, (Dr Jean-Michel Sterkendries, Royal Military School, Brussels)

13.55 – 14.15 Netherlands (Prof Dr Jan Hoffenaar, NIMH)

14.15 – 14.35 Discussion

14.35 – 15.00 Interval

15.00 – 15.30 Summary lecture/concluding remarks (Dr Gregory W. Pedlow, SHAPE, Mons )

15.30 – 15.45 Close

15.45 – 17.00 Drinks