Item BRINK OF APOCALYPSE 5/1 - Interview with John Hughes Wilson, NATO Colonel and Author, [2007]

Typescript transcript of interview, with John Hughes Wilson, NATO Colonel and Author. Subjects include the idea behind the Able Archer exercise; what the WINTEX exercise was; NATO forces deployed during the command post exercise; the testing of communications and new equipment in Able Archer; how exercises were seen by officers of NATO; the role of the Supreme Allied Commander (SACR) in Able Archer in collaboration with the Military Committee and the Defence Planning Committee; the length of Able Archer exercises; the concept of “the third cold war”, tensions during this period, in particular the political tensions; Beirut barracks bombing, Oct 1983; the shooting down of Korean Airlines flight KAL 007; coming up with potential scenarios for NATO exercises; why did Able Archer’83 cause USSR particular concern compared to other NATO exercises; the belief that Able Archer was a cover for a real nuclear attack and Able Archer intimidating the USSR; KGB and GRU awareness of exercise; the use of conventional warfare in a NATO exercise scenario; the strategy being based on Warsaw Pact and NATO man power; the level of civilian involvement; the imminent deployment of Pershing II missiles and the USSR’s concerns; NATO’s response to the USSR deployment of SS20s; USSR use of Rainer Rupp (‘Topaz’) , spy within NATO; the impact of psychological operations; USSR analysis of signals traffic; what is known now about USSR reaction to Able Archer; NATO as a defensive organisation; the secrecy surrounding Able Archer; description of SHAPE, as a building and the atmosphere within it.52pp