The Central Front Mobilization Race Part III

On 28 June, 1987 the Soviet general secretary informed the Ministry of Defense that Zapad ’87 was to commence on the first of July. A final decision on the date hostilities were to commence was not mentioned. Senior Soviet generals suspected Zapad would transition directly into a broader mobilization and from there to war. Marshal …

The Central Front Mobilization Race Part I

Mobilization has played a key role in war planning for centuries. Only in the later half of the 19th Century, with the advent of railroads and industrialization, did it take on a new importance and standing. In Europe during the years leading up to World War I, Mobilization was transformed into nothing less than an …

Memories Of World War III: The Road To War Part II

The Road to War 1 May-6 July, 1987 Brigadier General Jack Ryder, US Army (Ret.)- “With Gorbachev gone, everyone started to get nervous again. The future was unpredictable now that there was a hardliner in power over there again. But Romanov was hardline enough to make Andropov and Chernenko appear tame in comparison. April became …

Historical Rhymes: 1987 Vs. 2022

Mark Twain once remarked that “History Doesn't Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes.” I first encountered this quote back when I was in high school around 1994. As a know-it-all teenager at the time, I scoffed at Twain’s words. Yet as I grew older and experienced more of what life had to offer, it became …

June 28, 1987- ABC News **

The Pentagon is expressing concern about the upcoming Soviet military exercise in Eastern Europe. The large exercise, named Zapad-87, was announced last month and is scheduled to begin on July 1st and run for six days. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said the exercise violates the section of the Helsinki Accords calling for advance notification of military …