The new Chancellor continued Bonn’s security policy and close cooperation with Paris and Washington with a view to uniting Europe within a stable and secure framework. In spite of massive peace demonstrations, Helmut Kohl’s government maintained its position: In November 1983 the German Bundestag agreed to the deployment of the new missiles. The credibility of the Western Alliance was thus strengthened and a crisis within NATO averted.

A new dialogue on disarmament between the superpowers began as early as the mid-1980s. It was soon possible for the missiles which had just been deployed in the Federal Republic to be removed once again. Disarmament then became a reality for the first time: “Maintain peace with fewer weapons.” (Federal Chancellor Kohl)