The catch word is equilibrium again, informed the field what are conventional weapons or nuclear weapons of different qualities. You cannot make up for a actual or perceived disequilibrium in the conventional field by having more nuclear weapons.
Helmut SchmidtLeonid Breznev was an old man and despite his own military experience in World War II, he on the other hand was not very close to the military.
Helmut SchmidtI hate the idea that someone think the destruction of Chicago as strategic affair, the destruction of Hamburg as a tactical one.
Helmut SchmidtIn those years,'80 was the, at the turn of '79/'80 you had the invasion of Afghanistan. It was the period in which the Americans attempt to liberate, to, to liberate the hostages in Iran and all these, all these things, the atmosphere was freezing - boycott of the Olympic Games and all that.
Helmut SchmidtPresident [Ronald] Reagan never has tried to become an expert on military matters. He never has endeavored to learn the most important details in that field, which lead to a situation in which his aides played a much greater roles than aides would have played under President Ford or let us say in the whole Nixon-Ford-Kissinger era.
Helmut Schmidt